The involvement in the traffic of individual officials and military officers in some other countries has also been reliably reported, as has the use of diplomatic pouches for smuggling opium and heroin. In no country, however, is there likely to be a flourishing illicit trade in opium or heroin without the complicity of at least a few key civil servants or police officers.

What the governments of Southeast Asia are doing

SOUTH VIETNAM

Most of the heroin in Southeast Asia is produced for Americans. Until recently this led many governments to look upon heroin usage as strictly an American problem and little was done to help stop the illegal traffic. Addiction, however, is being discovered among the indigenous population, and the various governments are responding to U.S. initiatives in order to begin to get some control over this problem.

This is particularly true in the South Vietnamese military forces. We were told that during the South Vietnamese invasion of Laos, that some South Vietnamese troops who had been transferred from other areas of Vietnam on short notice had to be treated for withdrawal symptoms. Some U.S. personnel supporting the operation were also treated for withdrawal pains. The theory is that these troops were moved so rapidly and on such short notice that it was not possible to obtain sufficient heroin to satisfy their needs. As a result, one highranking South Vietnamese official told the study mission that whereas he had formerly looked upon the drug problem as an American problem, he now realized that it was becoming a Vietnamese problem.

Proper enforcement of South Vietnamese law would put a stop to a large part of the illegal traffic in heroin in that country. Particular emphasis must be placed on ending corruption in the customs service, which has been responsible for large quantities of heroin entering South Vietnam.

The possession of and the sale of heroin in South Vietnam is illegal. Yet sales on the streets of Saigon are so blatant that several attempts were made to sell heroin to members of the study mission as they walked the streets of Saigon, accompanied by a uniformed member of he United States Army.

As a result of American pressure the national police are becoming more aware of the need to do something about this problem. The national police commander has promised to take action.

In this context, combined narcotics suppression committees have been established in each military region. The membership consists of two U.S. officers and two inspectors from the national police. The committee collects and evaluates information on narcotics smuggling and informs the national police agencies of the need to take action to arrest and prosecute offenders.

It is too early to measure the effectiveness of these committees. In spite of the fact that heroin addiction has been a growing problem for over a year, the committees were not established until February 1971. The study mission was assured by U.S. Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker that both President Thieu and Vice President Ky were con

cerned with the problem and are interested in stopping the illegal traffic in heroin.

Promises and interest are not enough, however. Strong action must be taken to stop the heroin traffic in South Vietnam. We are not optimistic that the Government is either willing or able to take such action.

One of the major reasons for pessimism is the internal political situation in South Vietnam, where differences between President Thieu and Vice President Ky inhibits effective action being taken.

Vice President Ky was especially critical of the efforts being taken by the Government of South Vietnam to solve the problem of heroin, and stated that if he were given the responsibility of cleaning up "the drug mess" in South Vietnam, he would produce concrete results within 2 or 3 months.

The implication of this statement is that the Government is not doing all that it can, or should. Some way must be found to convince the South Vietnamese of the urgency of this problem and the absolute necessity to solve it.

In the final analysis, neither South Vietnam nor the United States can solve this problem alone. Both need the cooperation of the producing countries: Burma, Laos, and Thailand. Of the three, Thailand is the most important, and the most able to take action.

THAILAND

According to United States officials in Bangkok, the Thai Government is taking some action to stem illicit heroin production.

Since producing opium is illegal in Thailand, there are projects aimed at encouraging the hill tribesmen to grow other crops. These programs consist of education and training in new farming techniques and improved enforcement of Thai law.

The study mission visited a tribal research center which is situated on the grounds of Chiang Mai University in Northern Thailand. The research center is the research branch of the Hill Tribe Division, Department of Public Welfare, Ministry of the Interior. One of the problems which led to the creation of the research center was the illegal cultivation of poppies in Northern Thailand. The Government was desirous of eliminating the growing of poppies, yet the economy of some of the hill societies is based upon the income derived from opium sales. Prohibition, without the promotion of alternative cash crops would have caused considerable hardships. In addition, the inability of the Government to exert effective administrative control over these areas would have doomed the project to failure.

In 1967 and again in 1970. the Thai Government requested the United Nations to help by conducting a study on the economic and social needs of the opium producing areas in Thailand.

There have also been efforts to resettle the hill tribes to other areas, but this program has not been overly successful.

The Thai Government has initiated efforts to destroy the poppy crops, but without great success. The areas are too remote and enforcement almost impossible because of the Communist inspired insurgency in the area.

In 1962, the Thai invited U.S. BNDD agents into Thailand to assist them in their efforts. Relations between BNDD agents and the Thai police are improving. The Thai now permit BNDD agents to operate undercover and to appear in court in narcotics cases.

BNDD efforts, at least until 1969, were hampered because funds needed to do an effective job were not available. This situation has also changed and sufficient funds are now being made available.

Much more cooperation on the part of the Thai government is required, however. The Thai must devote more resources to improvement of their capability to intercept illegal shipments of opium, morphine, and heroin.

The Thai Government must also institute adequate and effective customs inspection, especially in the case of Thai troops and aircraft going to and from South Vietnam.

The study mission was also of the opinion that the United States Mission in Thailand should be more forceful in convincing the Thai Government that the United States not only needs, but expects, rapidly increasing action to stop the illegal traffic in opium and its derivatives. Strong and effective measures by the Thai Government, however, would not completely solve the problem. Poppies are also grown in

Burma and Laos.

BURMA

Poppies are grown in Burma under uncontrolled conditions. Due to economic, social, and political factors, the Government is not able to apply control measures required to implement their policies or intentions of prohibiting, or to supervise and control the growing of poppies and the production of opium. While much of the opium produced in Burma is consumed locally, a considerable amount appears in the illicit traffic. It is bartered for goods or sold for cash. Opium is very often the principal cash crop.

Burma has few economic, political, or cultural contacts with the outside world as a result of the Government's acute sensitivity to foreign influence. Because of this, U.S. relations with Burma are not lose, although they are "correct and friendly."

Any reduction in the amount of opium produced in Burma will take time. The Government must be strengthened and some way found o convince the opium producers to grow other crops.

There is little that the United States can do unilaterally to bring his about. It can, and must, however, urge the United Nations to elp.

LAOS

The Laotians are deeply involved in the growing of poppies and in he production of heroin. Opium is the principal source of income of he ethnic minorities in Laos.

The possession of opium in Laos is not illegal at the present time. There is a law being considered which would make such possession llegal. Even if the law passes, enforcement will be next to imposible because of the inability of the Laotian Government to exercise ffective political control over most of Laos. A copy of the proposed egislation, including the note of presentation, is included in the

appendix. This proposal, which was first drafted in 1963, will be presented to the National Assembly, hopefully in May 1971.

There are other steps that the Laotians can take to assert some control over the illegal traffic in opium and its derivatives. From the evidence available, there is no doubt that the Laotian military is deeply involved in the international traffic in heroin. Heroin is processed in laboratories located in Laos, and what is not smuggled through Thailand is smuggled through Laos, primarily by air in Laotian Air Force planes. While there is little likelihood that the Laotian Government will gain control over its territory in the near future, it can, and must, take action to reform its air force and eliminate the corruption which permits the drug traffic to flourish.

It should also be pointed out that tribesmen who grow poppies in the non-Communist part of Laos are some of the most effective resistance fighters against the North Vietnamese and the Pathet Lao. They depend for their livelihood upon opium production. The United States should consider the feasibility of buying up the opium crop each year, while encouraging and assisting the tribesmen to grow other crops. Such a program would probably cost at the most $10 million annually. In 5 years, however, it would not equal the amount of military assistance that the United States gives to Laos annually to enable it to remain non-Communist. If it is in the national security interests of the United States to save 3 million Laotians from communism, it certainly is in the national security interest of the United States to spend whatever is necessary to save generations of young Americans from heroin addiction.

In summary, the heroin problem in Southeast Asia is a regional problem. It transcends national boundaries and the operations in one country are dependent upon the operations in the other. Efforts to combat it must, therefore, be regional in scope. And the United States must push the fight against heroin as vigorously as it has conducted the fight against Communist aggression in Southeast Asia.

For years the United States has been encouraging regional economic development in Southeast Asia. It is discouraging that the most successful regional commercial development has been the illicit production and sale of heroin.

What the United States is doing to attack the heroin problem in South Vietnam

Steps are being taken by the United States Government in South Vietnam at both the diplomatic level and the military level to combat the growing heroin problem.

The study mission learned that the United States has made a strong appeal to the Government of South Vietnam to take action in this area. In a strongly worded memorandum, the U.S. Ambassador pointed out that "continuation of illegal traffic in drugs, particularly heroin. will have a serious impact on American support of the national effort." Because there has been criticism of U.S. diplomats for not pressing the narcotics issue forcefully enough with host governments, it is only fair to say that the study mission wholeheartedly supports the efforts of the Embassy in South Vietnam. Following is an extract from the paper:

DRUG ABUSE

GOALS

Accordingly it is suggested that the following goals be established:

1. Recognition by all Vietnamese officials and citizens of the magnitude of the rug problem and the serious impact that a continuation of illicit traffic in drugs, articularly heroin, will have on the American support of the national effort. 2. Development of a national will to eradicate trafficking in drugs.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To achieve these goals it is specifically recommended that the President of ietnam:

1. Issue a circular in the immediate future, through both civilian and military omponents of the government, indicating your concern over the accelerating rug problem and the apparent involvement of large numbers of Vietnamese in rug trafficking. This circular should specifically mention the trafficking of heroin nd the danger this highly addictive narcotic currently poses to the physical welleing of Americans as well as the future danger it poses to Vietnamese citizens. This circular should be followed by a decree which specifically legislates against rafficking in heroin and which imposes severe penalties for doing so.

2. Appoint a Presidential Task Force of highly qualified, dedicated and honest vestigators to ferret out, investigate and prosecute the financiers and backers ho comprise the powers behind drug trafficking. These men are responsible for anipulating, fostering, protecting and promoting the illicit traffic in drugs. They nclude influential political figures, government officials and moneyed ethnic Chinese members of the criminal syndicate now flourishing in the Cholon sector f Saigon.

3. Initiate action to establish a comprehensive drug training program for all w enforcement elements within the Republic of Vietnam, to include proseutors. Such training would be directed primarily at heroin, its characteristics nd the danger it poses to the physical well being of users.

4. Initiate immediate action to arrest all importers, distributors and street eddlers involved in the distribution and sale of drugs, especially heroin. Further, at stringent penalties be levied against these people to preclude their return › these activities.

5. Initiate action to form a specialized narcotics section within the Customs raud Repression Service. Such a section would devote its energy to combat e smuggling of drugs, especially heroin.

6. Take immediate action to have existing customs regulations enforced. pecific actions that must be taken are:

(a) Unauthorized personnel must not be allowed to handle any items of cargo or baggage until such items have been properly cleared by customs officials.

(b) Existing customs regulations pertaining to the actual processing and searching of individuals and all classes of cargo/personnel must be adhered to rigidly.

7. Initiate action to enforce existing health and welfare laws as they pertain the sale of pharmaceutical products (dangerous drugs) throughout Vietnam. o such products should be sold to American servicemen without the required escription.

U.S. military authorities in South Vietnam are also aware that the roblem of heroin addiction has reached epidemic proportions and ust be solved. To do this, a four-point program has been developed, nsisting of education, amnesty, rehabilitation, and suppression. Education programs have been expanded at all levels of command. here the consequences of drug abuse are stressed. There are also rograms aimed at educating noncommissioned and commissioned offirs in the detection and control of drug abuse in their units.

An education program to be effective must stress the dangers inherit in the illegal use of drugs and the dangers it poses to the health and ture of the user. It must be current, accurate, and hardhitting.