U.S. Supports International Fight Against North Korean Narcotics
(Defense Department's Hollis before Senate panel May 20) (720) The United States continues "to be successful in bringing together interagency capabilities and personnel to assist our allies in their fight against drugs," including initiatives to combat narcotics smuggling by North Korea, says Andre Hollis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counternarcotics. In prepared testimony delivered May 20 to the Senate Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Financial Management, the Budget, and International Security, Hollis noted that there have been numerous reports over the past several years about drug seizures linked to North Korea, primarily of methamphetamine and heroin destined for Japan, Taiwan, China, and Russia. In April 2003, Australian authorities seized kilograms of heroin transported by a North Korean merchant ship. "This incident," Hollis said, "underscores the need for multilateral efforts to stop North Korea's drug trafficking." Following is the text as provided by the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Governmental Affairs web site: (begin text) STATEMENT BY ANDRE D. HOLLIS DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR COUNTERNARCOTICS BEFORE THE UNITED STATES SENATE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, THE BUDGET, AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY UNITED STATES SENATE 108th CONGRESS STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD MAY 20, 2003 THE NORTH KOREAN NARCOTICS THREAT Good afternoon Chairman Fitzgerald, Senator Akaka and distinguished members of the Subcommittee. I am pleased to appear before you to discuss concerns about North Korea's involvement in illicit drug trafficking. Over the past several years, there have been numerous reports of drug seizures linked to North Korea, primarily of methamphetamine and heroin destined for Japan, Taiwan, China, and Russia. The Australians' April 2003 seizure of 50 kilograms of heroin transported by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su, demonstrates that elements within North Korea are extending their illicit activities south into Australian waters. This incident underscores the need for multilateral efforts to stop North Korea's drug trafficking. The Pong Su seizure heightens concerns that North Korean officials may be using illicit trading activities to provide much needed hard currency to fund its army and weapons of mass destruction programs. North Korea is a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction to nations that support terrorism. It is clear that any illicit trafficking involving North Korea is a potential threat to the security of the U.S. and its friends and allies in Asia and elsewhere. Last week, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer urged all governments in the region to work together to stop the smuggling. To that end, the Department is working with the Departments of State and Justice, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Intelligence Community to review what assistance the United States is authorized to provide to partner nations to slow the flow of drugs and other illicit trafficking in Northeast Asia. Practically speaking, the Department is able to provide support to our partner nations in the form of training for law enforcement and military personnel, intelligence initiatives that include collection, processing, and analysis, infrastructure to support counterdrug efforts, and command and control systems that ensure our allies can communicate and coordinate operations among their own agencies and with U.S. law enforcement and the military. The Department and its agency counterparts are fully capable and ready to support regional partners with the training, facilities, intelligence means, and organizational experience to counter the threat of illicit trafficking from North Korea. We continue to be successful in bringing together interagency capabilities and personnel to assist our allies in their fight against drugs. The interagency task forces we created in both California and Florida are examples for future initiatives in the East Asian region. These task forces bring together law enforcement, intelligence and the military to work jointly with partner nations to battle the narcotics threat. We are exploring the possibility of applying this model to the North Korean problem. This approach has proven valuable in places such as Colombia and Thailand where it enabled their law enforcement and military to work together to fight drug smuggling. North Korean drug trafficking is part of a larger threat posed by North Korea both regionally and globally. The Department's counternarcotics programs can complement the Administration's current wider effort to find the most successful means to end North Korea's trafficking of weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missiles, and illicit drugs. I look forward to answering your questions. (end text) (Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
