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Viewing cable 06RANGOON728, BURMA: 2006 COUNTERNARCOTICS REPORT CARD

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06RANGOON728 2006-06-05 09:25 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Rangoon
VZCZCXRO7565
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGO #0728/01 1560925
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 050925Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4617
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0912
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9686
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 4174
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1630
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3356
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 6782
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4397
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 0763
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0764
RUDKIA/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0434
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2695
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0058
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0339
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 RANGOON 000728 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, INL/AAE, INL/PC; DEA FOR OF, OFF; 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR KCRM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: 2006 COUNTERNARCOTICS REPORT CARD 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 78495 
 
     B. 9/05 INL/AAE-RANGOON E-MAIL (BENCHMARKS) 
     C. 05 RANGOON 668 
 
RANGOON 00000728  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
1. (U) This message responds to ref A request for a report 
card on the Government of Burma's cooperation on 
counternarcotics efforts, based on benchmarks established in 
late 2005 (ref B), in preparation for the FY 2007 
certification process. 
 
2.  (SBU) Begin Text of 2006 Certification Report Card: 
 
A. The USG requested that the GOB take demonstrable and 
verifiable actions against high-level drug traffickers and 
their organizations, such as investigating, arresting, 
convicting leading drug producers and traffickers. 
 
Embassy Rangoon Assessment: Limited cooperation. 
 
The GOB has taken no direct action in response to the 
unsealing in January 2005 of U.S. federal court indictments 
against eight leaders of the notorious United Wa State Army 
(UWSA). 
 
The GOB, however, took significant action against components 
of the UWSA.  The GOB, with DEA and Australian Federal Police 
(AFP) cooperation, disrupted two international trafficking 
syndicates associated with the UWSA that have ties throughout 
Asia, India, and North America.  In September 2005, the GOB 
seized a UWSA-related shipment of approximately 496 kgs of 
heroin bound for China via Thailand.  The seizure led to the 
arrest of 80 suspects, including two of UWSA Chairman Bao Yu 
Xiang,s family members, and the seizure of 7 UWSA-owned 
vehicles and $1.3 million USD (equivalent) in assets. 
 
A second, and related, investigation from December 2005 
through April 2006 culminated in the arrest of 30 subjects 
and the seizure of $2.2 million in assets and significant 
quantities of morphine base, heroin, opium, weapons, 
methamphetamine tablets and powder, crystal methamphetamine 
(ice), pill presses, and precursor chemicals. 
 
In 2005, according to official statistics, Burma arrested 
4,754 suspects on drug related charges. In 2005, Burma again 
cooperated with law enforcement agencies in neighboring 
countries on several cases leading to the extradition of 
traffickers to/from Burma. 
 
B. The USG asked the GOB to continue good efforts on opium 
poppy eradication and provide location data to the U.S. for 
verification purposes; increase seizures of opium, heroin, 
and methamphetamine and destroy production facilities; adopt 
meaningful procedures to control the diversion of precursor 
chemicals. 
 
Embassy Rangoon Assessment: Adequate cooperation overall, 
though inadequate for the U.S.-Burma joint opium survey. 
 
Burma's most significant counternarcotics achievement has 
been the reduction of poppy cultivation and opium production. 
 For a second consecutive year, however, the GOB failed to 
provide sufficient cooperation to support the U.S.-Burma 
joint opium yield survey, previously an annual exercise.  USG 
yield estimates relied on less reliable imagery assessments. 
 
In 2005, the USG estimated that 40,000 hectares was under 
opium poppy cultivation, a slight increase over the previous 
year.  A UNODC survey estimated 32,800 hectares, a decline of 
26%.  Both surveys concluded, however, that poppy cultivation 
and opium production (380 metric tons in 2005) declined by 
roughly 80 percent over the past decade. 
 
 
RANGOON 00000728  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
In June 2005, local authorities in Wa Special Region 2 
implemented an opium ban.  A rapid survey conducted by UNODC 
in October showed that no opium cultivation had taken place 
in the Wa region after the ban.  There are growing concerns 
that the process will not be sustainable in the longer term 
in the absence of alternative income sources.  Preliminary 
UNODC results in its 2006 survey, for example, indicate a 
resurgence of cultivation in southern Shan State. 
 
GOB seizures of illicit drugs increased considerably in 2005 
and early 2006, due to closer cooperation with neighboring 
countries and stepped-up law enforcement investigations. 
During the same period, the GOB dismantled two clandestine 
heroin laboratories. 
 
Burma does not have a chemical industry.  The GOB recognizes 
the threat posed by the diversion and trafficking of 
precursor chemicals; however, porous borders and corruption 
are significant obstacles to effective countermeasures.  The 
GOB's Precursor Chemical Control Board has identified 
twenty-five chemical substances (including caffeine and 
thinyl chloride) and prohibited their import, sale, or use. 
 
C. The USG urged the GOB to establish a mechanism for the 
reliable measurement of methamphetamine production and 
demonstrate progress in reducing production (e.g., 
destruction of labs) and increasing seizures, particularly 
focusing increased illicit drug seizures from gangs on the 
border with China, India, and Thailand. 
 
Embassy Rangoon Assessment: Inadequate cooperation. 
 
Methamphetamine production and trafficking have exploded over 
the past four years.  Burma remains a primary source of 
amphetamine-type substances (ATS) produced in Asia and 
international drug enforcement agencies are concerned that 
ATS production and consumption levels are increasing. 
Traffickers continue to smuggle chemical precursors into 
Burma from India and China, and then smuggle the final 
product across the border into Thailand and China for the 
domestic market and to other foreign ports including Hong 
Kong and the Philippines. 
 
The GOB does not have a mechanism for the measurement of ATS 
production. 
 
Seizures increased in 2005; law enforcement officials netted 
in excess of 19 million meth tablets.  The GOB destroyed one 
ATS lab in 2005.  In June 2005, officials from Burma and 
China conducted operations against a drug smuggling ring and 
seized 100 kg of crystal methamphetamine (ice). 
 
The joint DEA-GOB investigation against a UWSA associated 
group led to the seizure of approximately 15 million 
methamphetamine tablets, 45 kgs of crystal methamphetamine 
(ice), 65 kgs of methamphetamine powder, 673 kgs of 
ephedrine, 2 pill presses, 360 gallons of AA, and other lab 
equipment. 
 
D. The USG asked the GOB to continue cooperation with China 
and Thailand and expand cooperation to other neighboring 
countries, such as India, Laos, and Vietnam, to control the 
production and trafficking of illicit narcotics and the 
diversion of precursor chemicals. 
 
Embassy Rangoon Assessment:  Adequate cooperation. 
 
The GOB maintains a regular dialogue on precursor chemicals 
with India, China, Thailand, and Laos.  As a result, India 
and China have taken steps, including the creation of 
exclusion zones, to divert precursors away from Burma's 
border areas.  The GOB has also cooperated with these 
 
RANGOON 00000728  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
countries on a variety of counterdrug law enforcement issues. 
 
Burma and Thailand jointly operate border liaison offices. 
Burma and Laos, with the assistance of the UNODC, conduct 
joint anti-drug patrols on the Mekong River. 
 
GOB cooperation with China and Thailand has been the most 
productive, yielding arrests, seizures, and extraditions. 
The law enforcement relationship with India has been less 
productive.  Nonetheless, GOB counterdrug officials meet on a 
monthly basis with Indian counterparts at the field level at 
various border towns. 
 
E.  The USG requested that the GOB enforce existing 
money-laundering laws, including asset forfeiture provisions, 
and fully implement and enforce Burma's money-laundering 
legislation passed in June 2002. 
 
Assessment:  Limited cooperation 
 
In 2005, the GOB continued progress in fulfilling the 
money-laundering concerns of the Financial Action Task Force 
(FATF), producing a number of quality progress reports. 
 
The GOB, which is currently investigating a number of major 
money laundering cases, instituted an on-site examination 
program for financial institutions.  Over the past year, the 
GOB closed three major banking institutions (Asia Wealth 
Bank, Myanmar Mayflower Bank, and the Myanmar Universal Bank) 
for violations of banking regulations.  The banks were 
allegedly involved in laundering money linked to the UWSA's 
illicit narcotic trade. In August 2005, the GOB, with the 
assistance of DEA, seized assets of the Myanmar Universal 
Bank and arrested its Chairman, Tin Sein, and sentenced him 
to death, for laundering UWSA drug proceeds. The total value 
of seized bank accounts, property, and personal assets 
exceeded $25 million. 
 
The GOB recently initiated an investigation into the Myanmar 
Oriental Bank.  The probe is based on alleged violation of 
banking regulations and laundering money linked to the 
illicit narcotic trade. 
 
In July 2005, Burma and Thailand signed an MOU on the 
exchange of information relating to money-laundering. 
 
Throughout 2005, technical specialists of the Australian 
Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) visited 
Burma to deliver training on anti-money laundering and the 
countering of the financing of terrorism.  The regional 
technical assistance and training program is ongoing, with 
further workshops scheduled for year 2006.  As a result of 
the promulgation in 2004 of the Mutual Assistance in Criminal 
Matters Law (MACML) and subsequent measures to address money 
laundering and terrorism financing, Burma gained membership 
in the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering in March 2006. 
 
Burma, however, remained on FATF's list of "Non-Cooperative 
Countries and Territories."  This was largely due to the 
GOB's inadequate implementation of its money-laundering 
regime.  With the exception of the Myanmar Universal Bank 
case, the GOB did not make public the results of its 
investigations into private banks, nor make explicit 
connections between the banks and money laundering. 
 
F. The USG urged the GOB to prosecute drug-related 
corruption, especially corrupt government and military 
officials who facilitate drug trafficking and money 
laundering. 
 
Embassy Rangoon Assessment:  Inadequate cooperation. 
 
 
RANGOON 00000728  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
According to the GOB, between 1995 and 2003 officials 
prosecuted and punished over 200 police officials and 48 
Burmese Army personnel for narcotics-related corruption or 
drug abuse.  There is no evidence that the GOB took any 
similar actions over the past three years. 
 
In October 2004, the military regime ousted Prime Minister 
General Khin Nyunt, accusing him and hundreds of his military 
intelligence subordinates of illegal activities conducted in 
the drug producing and trafficking areas of northern Shan 
State.  However, the GOB charged none of these officials with 
drug-related offenses.  The GOB has never prosecuted a 
Burmese Army officer over the rank of full colonel. 
 
G. The USG asked the GOB to expand demand-reduction, 
prevention, and drug treatment programs to reduce drug use 
and control the spread of HIV/AIDS. 
 
Embassy Rangoon Assessment:  Inadequate cooperation. 
 
Although drug abuse levels remain low in Burma compared to 
neighboring countries, the addict population could be as high 
as 300,000 abusers, including a growing number of injecting 
drug users (IDU) and regular consumers of ATS. 
 
The GOB's prevention and drug treatment programs suffer from 
inadequate resources and a lack of senior-level government 
support.  Demand reduction programs are in part coercive and 
in part voluntary.  Burmese authorities, however, have 
collaborated with UNODC in expanding anti-drug campaigns as 
well as establishing treatment and rehabilitation programs. 
The GOB's Myanmar Anti-Narcotic Association, for example, has 
supported the activities of several outreach projects in 
northern Shan State that treat thousands of addicts annually. 
 
Several international NGOs have effective demand reduction 
programs, but in February 2005 the GOB issued new guidelines 
that restrict the activities of INGOs and UN agencies. 
Implementation of the new guidelines, however, has been 
uneven. 
 
The transmission of HIV/AIDS through injecting drug use is a 
major concern.  The HIV epidemic in Burma, one of the most 
serious in Asia, continues to expand rapidly.  UNAIDs 
estimates over 600,000 people are affected with HIV, 34 
percent of which are IDUs. 
 
The GOB, national and international NGOs, and UN agencies 
developed the Joint Program for HIV/AIDS in Burma.  The 
Program identified the link between IDU and HIV/AIDS as a 
priority area.  The Global Fund for Aids, TB and Malaria had 
approved grants totaling $98.5 million for Burma, but 
withdrew in late 2005 due to the GOB's onerous restrictions 
and lack of full cooperation.  A consortium of six donors 
(Australia, UK, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and the EC) 
is currently negotiating to develop a new funding mechanism 
to fight the three diseases. 
 
End Text of 2006 Certification Report Card. 
VILLAROSA