Cablegate: Burma's Counternarcotics Program: More Data, More
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 RANGOON 001473
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INL AND EAP
TREASURY FOR OASIA
DEA FOR OF, OFF
NSC FOR RAND BEERS
USCINCPAC FOR FPA
BANGKOK FOR NAS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA'S COUNTERNARCOTICS PROGRAM: MORE DATA, MORE
RESULTS
REF: A. (A) RANGOON 1355
B. (B) STATE 157297
C. (C) RANGOON 1415
D. (D) STATE 215837
1. In response to our request (ref D), the Government of
Burma has provided a third package of information on its
counternarcotics program. The latest package includes an
outline of measures that the GOB has taken to implement its
new money laundering law, a list of members of the United Wa
State Army who have been arrested on narcotics during 2002
and the names and case histories of police officers who have
been prosecuted for narcotics-related corruption during 2002.
Copies of this information have been forwarded to INL/AAE
and EAP/BCLTV. The main points are as follows.
Money Laundering
2. Burma enacted its new money laundering law on June 17. On
July 4, it established an eleven member Central Control Board
chaired by the Minister of Home Affairs to oversee
implementation of the new law. Draft regulations for the new
law were developed in workshops conducted by the Central
Committee for Drug Abuse Control and the Attorney General's
office in workshops in Rangoon and Mandalay in August and
September. In July, 35 financial investigators were trained
with assistance from the Australian Federal Police and
others, before being formed up into two financial
investigation teams. Those teams have since begun
investigations of several specific cases on which indictments
on money laundering charges are expected within the next
thirty days. DEA officers in Rangoon have been involved in
developing one of these cases and can corroborate Burmese
statements regarding the investigations and the GOB's plans
for prosecutions.
UWSA Cases
3. The GOB has provided a list of 18 members of the United Wa
State Army who have been arrested in 2002 on
narcotics-related charges. The list includes the name and
address of each culprit, a summary of the case and an
indication of the sentence that was dished out. Amounts
seized in the cases range from the very large (33 kilograms
of heroin) to the very small (190 methamphetamine tablets).
None of the arrestees appears particularly high ranking,
though recent cases included the son of a UWSA township
commander, and members of the UWSA's 418th and 468th
divisions. The full list is as follows:
-- On 10/19/02, NYI MI of Nam Kham Township, Burma was
arrested for possession of .002 kilograms of heroin. The
drugs were located and seized following a routine vehicle
inspection near the village of Kon Naung in Thit Naung Pin
Township. NYI MI is currently pending trial.
-- On 10/4/02, .002 kilograms of heroin were seized from the
personal belongings of AIK SAY of Lashio Township. The
seizure was made after AIK SAY was stopped and question by
the police. AIK SAY is currently awaiting trial.
-- On 9/4/02, AIK SAN, son of a UWSA Township Commander, was
arrested at the Asia World Checkpoint in Kutkai Township.
AIK SAN was arrested for possession of 190 methamphetamine
tablets and currently awaits trial.
-- On 8/12/02, UWSA Division 468 member KYA LAW was arrested
by police authorities after two (2) kilograms of opium were
seized from a false compartment inside the vehicle occupied
by KYA LAW. KYA LAW is awaiting trial.
-- On 8/10/02 UWSA member TUN AG of Muse, Burma was arrested
while in possession of 930 methamphetamine tablets in Man
Wane Ward, Muse. TUN AG awaits trial.
-- On 8/2/02, .00015 kilograms of opium were seized from AIK
AUNG of Tan Yang Township, Burma. AIK AUNG was stopped and
questioned by the police after acting suspiciously. AIK AUNG
is currently pending trial.
-- On 7/31/02, Burmese authorities arrested AIK KWAT of
Lashio Township for possession .001 kilograms of heroin.
Authorities arrested the defendant following the seizure of
the heroin on the defendant's person. AIK KWAT was sentenced
to twelve (12) years imprisonment.
-- On 7/2/02, 33 kilograms of heroin was seized from within a
vehicle containing a false compartment. Defendant AIK YI was
identified as the driver for the UWSA Division 418. AIK YI
currently awaits trial.
-- On 6/7/02, 10,000 methamphetamine tablets were seized from
UWSA member AIK KET. Authorities also arrested O PHAT PA MOK
and two unnamed Thai nationals in connection with the
seizure. All four defendants are awaiting trial.
-- On 5/9/02, three defendants were arrested following the
execution of a search warrant in Hopan Township, Burma.
Burmese authorities located and seized 26 methamphetamine
tablets and .001 kilograms of heroin. Defendants NYI MYAT,
MA EI NWE and MA EI PA LOT are pending trial.
-- On 5/7/02, AIK GWAN of Hopan Township, Burma was arrested
following the execution of a search warrant at his residence.
AIK GWAN was arrested for possession of .0023 kilograms of
heroin and 10 methamphetamine tablets. On 9/18/02, AIK GWAN
was sentenced to twelve (12) years imprisonment.
-- On 4/22/02, SANG NAM of Hopan Township was arrested while
in possession of 44,000 methamphetamine tablets at the Yebu
Checkpoint, Lashio, Burma. SANG NAM is currently awaiting
trial.
-- On 4/20/02, .002 kilograms of heroin were seized from the
personal belongings of AIK SAM of Nam Kham Township, Burma.
On 8/2/02, AIK SAM was sentenced to seven (7) years
imprisonment.
-- On 4/20/02, NYOKA (LNU) of Hopan Township, Burma was
arrested while in possession of 30,100 methamphetamine
tablets while onboard a bus at the Tang Yang Junction. On
7/23/02, NYOKA was sentenced to twenty (20) years
imprisonment.
-- On 4/9/02, .05 kilograms of raw opium were seized from NYI
KA YIN of Lashio Township, Burma. The drugs were located
following a luggage inspection at the Tang Yang Junction in
Lashio Township. NYI KA YIN was sentenced to twelve (12)
years imprisonment on 6/12/02.
-- On 4/2/02, 37,000 methamphetamine tablets were seized from
an individual riding as a passenger in Lashio Township,
Burma. Defendants AIK HKAM and driver AIK KAW were arrested
charged in violation of Burma's Psychotropic Substances Laws.
Both defendants are currently pending trial.
-- On 3/16/02, .00001 kilograms of heroin were seized from
SAI KHWET KHUN, Lashio, Burma. The defendant was arrested
following a police inquiry of the subject's activities. On
6/20/02, the offender was sentenced to seven (7) years
imprisonment.
-- On 1/16/02, AR CHAN, driver from the UWSA Special Region
and MA LI LI were arrested in Mong Hphine, while in
possession of 31,500 methamphetamine tablets and 0.511
kilograms of raw opium. Both defendants are awaiting trial.
Corruption
4. In September (see ref A), the GOB advised us that 200
police officials and 48 army personnel had been disciplined
for narcotics-related corruption or drug abuse between
January 1995 and May 2002. It has now provided the names and
case details of twelve police officers who were disciplined
for narcotics related corruption in 2001 and 2002. Those
cases are as follows:
-- On 4/9/02, Police Inspector AUNG WIN was dismissed from
the Myanmar Police Force following a complaint filed by a
victim that the officer received a bribe for selling opium
and concealing evidence in gambling, assault, disorderly
conduct, and sexual assault investigations.
-- On 3/24/02, Police Inspectors WIN NAING, WAI LWIN TUN,
AUNG ZAW MIN, and Police Corporal ZAW WIN were demoted to the
next rank and a two years time limit imposed for promotion
eligibility following the execution of a unwarranted search
of a residence. A formal complaint was filed after no
narcotics were located at the residence and the officers
demanded and received Kyats 50,000 (approximately $50.00) for
transportation charges of the suspect to police headquarters.
-- On 11/14/01, Police Inspector MYO MYINT and Sergeants AUNG
THAN HTAY and NYUNT WIN were formally reprimanded after
giving false testimony during the trial of two drug suspects.
The drug suspects were acquitted on all charges.
-- On 2/9/2001, Police Inspectors MOE SWE, KHIN HTUN and
Police Corporal THAUNG TUN WIN were arrested by the Yangon
Division for substituting an arrested narcotics violator with
another individual for an undisclosed quantity of currency.
All three defendants were dismissed from the Myanmar Police
Force on 1/12/02 and sentenced to ten (10) years for
accepting the bribe and ten (10) years in violation of
Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Laws. The
sentences will be served consecutively.
-- On 10/9/00, Police Inspector TIN MAUNG OO of the Pabetan
Township Police Station was dismissed from the Myanmar Police
Force and sentenced on 8/28/00 to three (3) months of
rigorous imprisonment after demanding money from a drug
suspect.
Comment
5. The GOB has responded promptly to all of our requests for
information on
on its counternarcotics program. If there is other specific
information that the Department requires for its decision on
certification of Burma's program, or other issues connected
with the criteria for certification, please advise ASAP so
that post can make an immediate approach to the GOB or other
sources and obtain the required data.
Martinez