Counterdrug Media Summary

Kota Kinabalu City Hall is doing its part in ridding the city of drugs by creating awareness of the dire effects with the formation of the KK Anti Dadah Action Committee. Disclosing this here, Mayor Datuk Illyas Ibrahim said the committee consists of 14 government departments and agencies, including the police, to create awareness among their workforce and the public. Illyas, who is chairman of the committee, said it would focus on sending the right messages across to help reduce drug-related problems that are on the rise in Sabah. Despite being aware of places that are popular among drug abusers, he said, "The committee should put more effort into identifying places that have gone undetected. We must obtain more information on how to combat drugs, by finding out where the hotspots are and take action accordingly." Illyas was deeply concerned with the complaints from the public regarding the high number of addicts in the city. He noted that many addicts are still roaming the city, taking drugs openly and urinating on staircases. In light of that, the committee felt that one of the best ways to reduce drug abuse was through strong campaigns that targeted youngsters. He said the emphasis would not be on the paraphernalia or drug types but the impact of drug abuse. Government departments and agencies would also each organise an anti-drug campaign. If a member of a department were suspected of being involved in drugs, the department would immediately inform the police so actions could be taken(continued)

Source: Borneo Bulletin/Arman Gunsika/31 March 2005/

http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/thu/mar31b2.htm

China

Drug-Smuggling Family Nabbed

Police in Harbin have smashed an international drug ring spearheaded by a close knit family. Officers in the capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province arrested seven family members and later investigations led to the arrest of 42 others. More than 20,000 crystals of the so-called "ice" drug were seized with a street value of about 1 million yuan (US$120,000). "The arrest means the collapse of a drug trafficking corridor that runs from Myanmar to Yunnan to Harbin," said police in a statement. The ring leader was a 47-year-old woman named Tan Guiqin who appointed her immediate family as senior gang members. They included her boyfriend Li Guobin, her son Zhang Tianle and his girlfriend Wang Songlan. Wang's niece Tan Yan, nephew Tan Fei and his girlfriend Sun Ying were also arrested. Police were alerted to the family's drug dealing after Tan's neighbour, a man surnamed Li, spotted her selling drugs at a hotel where he was visiting a guest at the end of last year. Li reported Tan to the police who launched a series of investigations. The police later found she had connections with drug traffickers in Myanmar. Working closely with their colleagues in Yunnan, Harbin police found that Zhang, Wang, Sun had frequently shuttled between Yunnan and Harbin during January. Gu Liguang, who headed the investigation team, said the three swallowed the drugs to smuggle them across province borders or through airports to Harbin. (continued)

Source: China Daily/Qin Lei and Li Fangchao//31 March 2005/ http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-03/31/content_429753.htm

Harbin Drug Haul

Police in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, recently seized more than 20,000 methamphetamine pills and arrested 49 suspected drug dealers and addicts. Among those nabbed were the alleged drug-trafficking ringleader Tan Guiqin, her boyfriend Li Guobin and five of her family members, police said. Tan's ring transported the illicit drug from Myanmar to Harbin via Yunnan Province, according to officials.

Source: Eastday/30 March 2005/ http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/nation/userobject1ai974877.html

China Scores Major Anti-Drug Achievements

China had "major achievements" in drug control in 2004 with more cases solved and suspects arrested than in 2003, resulting in a large increase in the street price of narcotics, says the National Narcotics Control Commission. China cracked 98,000 drug-related cases in 2004, up 4.4 percent over the previous year, and seized 66,900 suspects, up 5.1 percent, according to statistics revealed at the commission's plenary meeting held here Monday. According to the commission, China seized 10.8 tons of heroin in 2004, up 13.6 percent year-on-year; more than 3 million "head-shaking" pills, or ecstasy, an eight-fold increase; 2.7 tons of "ice," down 52.9 percent; and 160 tons of chemicals for drug manufacture, up 119.8 percent. "Thanks to years of high-powered crackdowns, drugs have become more difficult to come by on the domestic market. Drug prices haverisen significantly and the high incidence of drug-related crimes has generally been brought under control," said a commission official. Slowing down drug-taking China succeeded in slowing down the rise of drug-taking in 2004, as the number of new drug addicts in the year went down 19.7 percent to 22,000 from the previous year, says the National Narcotics Control Commission. "The number of rehabilitated former drug addicts that have rejected drugs for more than three years has reached 88,000," according to statistics revealed at the commission's plenary meeting held here Monday. Of the registered drug addicts at the end of 2004, the percentage of people aged below 35 dropped to 70 percent from 77 percent in 2001. (continued)

Source: China View/4 April 2005/

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-04/04/content_2785595.htm

China To Launch "People's War" On Drugs

A Chinese senior official Monday vowed to launch a "people's war" against drugs, aiming at checking the sources of drugs, curbing the harmful influence of drug crimes and keeping the number of drug addicts from growing. "The nationwide campaign is to meet actual demand to deal with current tough situation of drug abuse in China, and is also a decisive strategy to win the initiative in fighting against drugs," said Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and State Councilor. Zhou, also minister of public security and director of the National Narcotics Control Commission, made the remarks at the commission's plenary meeting held here Monday. China made "major achievements" in drug control in 2004 with more cases solved and suspects arrested than in 2003, resulting in a large increase in the street price of narcotics, according to the commission. China cracked 98,000 drug-related cases in 2004, up 4.4 percent over the previous year, and seized 66,900 suspects, up 5.1 percent, according to statistics revealed at the meeting. Last year, China seized 10.8 tons of heroin in 2004, up 13.6 percent year-on-year; more than 3 million "head-shaking" pills, or ecstasy, an eight-fold increase; 2.7 tons of "ice" , down 52.9 percent; and 160 tons of chemicals for drug manufacture, up 119.8 percent. "Thanks to years of high-powered crackdowns, drugs have become more difficult to come by on the domestic market. (continued)

Source: China View/5 April 2005/

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-04/05/content_2786311.htm

Drug Crime Rise Sparks Calls For Crackdown

Rises in drug-related crimes and the number of addicts in the country lead to calls for a strengthened crackdown. A total of 66,900 suspects were arrested last year for committing drug-related crimes, rising 5.1 per cent over the year before. And there were 790,000 addicts by the end of 2004, up 6.8 per cent from 2003, said Zhang Xinfeng, vice-minister of public security and vice-director of the National Narcotics Control Commission. At a meeting of the commission yesterday, Minister of Public Security and Director of the commission Zhou Yongkang called for strengthened efforts to prevent people from becoming addicted, to cut off sources of narcotics both at home and abroad, and to crack down on drug-related crimes. Last year police solved 98,000 drug-related cases, including the production, trafficking and selling of drugs, up 4.4 per cent from 2003. Drops in solved cases But statistics from the commission indicate the number is just half of those in 1997 and 1998, which saw the largest recorded numbers of solved cases. Officials say the main cause of the drop is the increased fight against drug trafficking throughout the country. One of the key cases of last year was solved in June, when police acting on a tip-off in Dali, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, seized 501 kilograms of heroin, the largest seizure in a single case last year. Four suspects were arrested in the cross-border case. (continued)

Source: China Daily/Qin Chuan/5 April 2005/ http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-04/05/content_431066.htm

China Sounds Alarm As Drug Addiction Rises, Crime Fighting Ability Falls

China's law enforcers are sounding the alarm as new data shows the number of drug addicts is rising fast while crime-fighting capabilities are falling. China had 790,000 drug addicts at the end of last year, an increase of 6.8 percent from the year before, the China Daily said Tuesday, citing the National Narcotics Control Commission. "We must swiftly organize and launch a wide-ranging people's war on drugs," State Councilor Zhou Yongkang told a plenary meeting of the commission in Beijing, according to the Legal Daily. "We must resolutely check the sources of the drugs, and curb the harmful influence of drug crimes and keep the number of new drug users from growing," he was quoted as saying. Of great concern to the Chinese government, the increase in drug addiction was apparently not matched by improved skills in battling the crime, even though the anti-drug police force has gradually grown to 17,000 members. Chinese police last year solved 98,000 drug-related cases, an increase of 4.4 percent from 2003, but only half the number of cases solved in 1997 and 1998, the paper said. Meanwhile, 66,900 suspects were detained in drug-related cases last year, an increase of 5.1 percent, according to the report. "The situation for narcotics control in China is still serious," the paper said, citing Zhang Xinfeng, who is vice police minister and vice director of the narcotics commission. One of the main reasons for the worsening drug problem is the massive inflow of drugs across China's increasingly porous borders. (continued)

Source: Yahoo News/5 April 2005/ http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1530&ncid=731&e=4&u=/afp/20050405/wl_asia_afp/chinacrimedrugs

China's Drug Users On The Rise

China had 791,000 drug addicts at the end of 2004, up 6.8 percent from 2003, according to the National Narcotics Control Commission. Nearly 86 percent are addicted to heroin, but the number of people addicted to new kinds of drugs is increasing, according to statistics revealed at the commission's plenary meeting Monday. Young people, farmers and the unemployed are three major groups of China's drug addicts, according to the commission.

Source: People's Daily Online/5 April 2005/ http://english.people.com.cn/200504/05/eng20050405_179511.html

Drug Busts Up in 2004

China solved 98,000 drug-related cases in 2004, up 4.4 percent over the previous year, and seized 66,900 suspects, up 5.1 percent, the National Narcotics Control Commission announced at its plenary session on Monday. China seized 10.8 tons of heroin in 2004, up 13.6 percent year-on-year; more than 3 million ecstasy pills, an eight-fold increase; 2.7 tons of methamphetamine, down 52.9 percent; and 160 tons of chemicals for used in making drugs, up 119.8 percent. "Thanks to years of high-powered crackdowns, drugs have become more difficult to come by on the domestic market. Drug prices have risen significantly and the high incidence of drug-related crimes has generally been brought under control," said a commission official. However, the number of drug addicts rose 6.8 percent to 791,000 at the end of 2004. Nearly 86 percent were addicted to heroin, while the number of people addicted to new kinds of drugs was on the rise. Most drug addicts are young people, farmers or the unemployed. Nevertheless, the commission reported, the number of new drug addicts in the year went down 19.7 percent year-on-year to 22,000, while the number of rehabilitated addicts who have stayed clean for three years or more reached 88,000. The percentage of registered drug addicts below the age of 35 dropped to 70 percent as of the end of 2004 from 77 percent in 2001. (continued)

Source: China.org/5 April 2005/

http://china.org.cn/english/2005/Apr/124695.htm

Indonesia

Bali Drug Witness Is A Liar, Says Accused

The man accused of owning the marijuana found in alleged drug smuggler Schapelle Corby's boogie board bag yesterday denied using her as a "drug mule" in a trafficking syndicate. Ron Vigenser, named by prisoner John Patrick Ford at the 27-year-old beauty therapy student's trial in Bali on Tuesday, said he knew no baggage handlers and did not sell or smuggle drugs. Vigenser, 38, who has been jailed 11 times on some 150 convictions, has labelled Ford "a bloody liar". "I've never ever in my whole life, as a criminal and a drug user, I've never ever seen that much drugs in my life," he told the Nine Network's A Current Affair program. "I'm so sorry. I really wish I could help her but I don't know what this is all about." Ford told a Denpasar court he had overheard jail inmates named Terry and Paul talking about how Vigenser's shipment of marijuana had gone missing between Brisbane and Sydney last year. Vigenser was in jail with Ford in Melbourne but said he had talked to him maybe once. He was inside when Corby was caught and could not explain why Ford would accuse him. "I say to John Ford: 'You're the one who's going to have blood on your hands because you're coming up with these outrageous stories where they could have investigated the right story and maybe got this girl off."' A Current Affair reportedly paid $15,000 for the interview. (continued)

Source: Sydney Morning Herald/Jordan Baker/1 April 2005/ http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Bali-drug-witness-is-a-liar-says-accused/2005/03/31/1111862533912.html

Corby Shocked By Ford Testimony

Accused drug smuggler Schapelle Corby was left shocked and upset by evidence that she was the innocent victim of an Australian crime gang, a key supporter said today. Lawyers for the former Gold Coast beauty student on trial in Bali have been heartened by the evidence of Victorian remand prisoner John Ford, and by news Australian police are investigating an alleged drug ring in Australian airports. Ford told Denpasar District Court yesterday that he overheard two fellow prisoners laughing about how a crime boss's shipment of marijuana had gone missing between Brisbane and Sydney last year. He was certain the stash was the same 4.1kg of marijuana found in Corby's boogie board bag when she arrived at Bali airport last October. Ford told the court the drugs belonged to Ronnie Verganza. Mr Verganza has denied the claims. He will appear on Channel Nine's A Current Affair tomorrow night. But while encouraged by his testimony, 27-year-old Corby was devastated to hear an explanation of what might have put her in a Bali jail cell and at risk of execution by firing squad, said financial backer Ron Bakir. "She couldn't sit through listening to what actually happened to her for the first time," Bakir, a Gold Coast phone mogul told ABC radio after visiting Corby today in Bali's Kerobokan prison. "What's really getting her down is when Mr Ford said the other people were making a joke about who's going to get shot over it. That's really shocked her." (continued)

Source: Sydney Morning Herald/30 March 2005/ http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/03/30/1111862456801.html?from=top5

Corby Trial Forces Investigation Of Airport Security

Australian Federal Police are investigating possible gaps in airport security following claims of drug trafficking by a Victorian prisoner who gave evidence in support of Schapelle Corby in a Bali court. John Ford, a remand prisoner who gave evidence in the trial on Tuesday, said drugs were placed in the bodyboard bag of accused drug smuggler Corby without her knowledge by criminals involved in a drug-trafficking ring operating at Australian airports. Ford has provided the AFP with a statement The Justice Minister, Chris Ellison, said yesterday Ford's claims were being taken seriously. "The investigation that the Australian Federal Police is carrying out at the moment is one which would be looking at ... the allegation made by Mr Ford, which included that fact that baggage could be tampered with and that there could be an internal conspiracy in relation to our airports," he said. "Now that is of concern and the AFP are regarding this matter seriously and are continuing their investigations in conjunction with Queensland police." Corby, a Gold Coast beauty school student, is accused of trying to smuggle 4.1 kilograms of marijuana into Indonesia, after the drugs were found in her bodyboard bag at Bali's Denpasar Airport in October. The head of Qantas Group Security, Geoffrey Askew, was not available for comment yesterday but earlier this month told ABC TV that closed circuit cameras were not used in the behind-the-scenes domestic baggage handling area. "We're not in the business of spying on staff," he said. (continued)

Source: Sydney Morning Herald/Ellen Connolly/31 March 2005/ http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Corby-trial-forces-investigation-of-airport-security/2005/03/30/1111862464366.html

Criminologist Convinced Corby Is Innocent

A leading Queensland criminologist says he is convinced Gold Coast woman Schapelle Corby is innocent of the drug smuggling charges she is facing in Indonesia. Professor Paul Wilson has just returned from giving evidence at Ms Corby's trial in Bali. Ms Corby is facing a possible death sentence after four kilograms of marijuana were found in her bag at Denpasar airport last October. Her trial has heard claims the drugs were put in her bag without her knowledge and Professor Wilson says that is plausible. "She doesn't have any of the characteristics, she's got no criminal record whatsoever, no juvenile record, the only record she's got is for a parking fine," Mr Wilson said. "She's got no history of drug taking whatsoever, they tested her and there was no drugs in her system whatsoever."

Source: ABC News Online/30 March 2005/ http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200503/1334026.htm?queensland

Keep Believing In Me: Schapelle

SCHAPELLE Corby sent a heartfelt message to her fellow Australians from her Bali prison cell yesterday. "I want the Australian public to keep believing in me because I have done nothing wrong and I want to thank the Australian public for their support because, without their support, I would be dead already," she said. After her most traumatic day yet in court yesterday, the 27-year-old was visited in jail by family, friends and her legal team, who are concerned for her emotional wellbeing as the case draws to a close. Still emotional, Corby asked Gold Coast mobile phone entrepreneur Ron Bakir, who is now bankrolling her defence, to deliver the message to Australians for her. Mr Bakir said he feared Corby was losing hope but she was buoyed by the belief Australians were behind her in her bid to be declared innocent of drug smuggling charges, which carry the death penalty. "She says she can't handle it in here [jail] any more," Mr Bakir said after his visit. And in what could be seen as a boost for Corby and her legal team, the Chief Judge in charge of her case revealed yesterday that some parts of prisoner John Patrick Ford's testimony would be used in considering their decision. Judge Linton Sirait told The Daily Telegraph he could not comment publicly on the judges' current thinking about Corby's guilt or innocence but the prisoner's evidence would form part of their decision. (continued)

Source: The Advertiser/Cindy Wockner/31 March 2005/ http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,12709158%255E421,00.html

Key Corby Witness Back In Jail

THE Victorian prisoner who gave evidence in the Bali court case against accused drug smuggler Schapelle Corby has been returned to jail in Melbourne. Justice Minister Chris Ellison said today prisoner John Patrick Ford had been escorted by Victorian authorities on a flight from Denpasar late last night and arrived back in Melbourne early today. He said Mr Ford was immediately taken back to prison. Ms Corby, a Gold Coast beauty school student, is accused of trying to smuggle 4.1kg of marijuana into Indonesia, after the drugs were found in her boogie board bag at Bali's Denpasar airport last October.

Source: Herald Sun/31 March 2005/ http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,12711790%255E661,00.html

Man Denies Corby Drugs Link

Melbourne man Ronnie Verganza has been left shattered after a Bali court was told he was linked to a drug stash allegedly planted on Schapelle Corby. Mr Verganza, 38, whom prisoner John Patrick Ford claimed owned the 4.1 kg of marijuana found in Corby's bodyboard bag, said he had nothing to do with any drug ring, a Melbourne newspaper reported. He said he was just trying to get his life back together after getting out of jail six weeks ago, the newspaper said. When interviewed on Tuesday night, Mr Verganza's wallet contained $4.55 in change, a Medicare card, a pension card and a video store card. "Have a look around - do I look like a drug lord?" the newspaper quoted him as asking. "I don't know what I could have done to this fella (Mr Ford). He's named me as the man who financed the whole deal, and I don't even have a bank account." Mr Verganza said he was in jail when Corby, a Queensland beauty school student, was arrested at Denpasar airport in Bali. He said he had no involvement with Corby or anyone associated with her. The newspaper reported that Mr Verganza recognised Mr Ford from Port Phillip Prison where he used to serve the food, but said he had never spoken to him. Corby faces a possible death sentence if found guilty by an Indonesian court of smuggling drugs into the country. Pleading innocent, she says someone planted the drugs in her unlocked bodyboard bag.

Source: The Age/30 March 2005/

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Man-denies-Corby-drugs-link/2005/03/30/1111862426197.html

Man In Corby Case Paid For Story: Report

A Channel Nine current affairs program paid a Melbourne man named in Schapelle Corby's Indonesian drugs case $15,000 for an interview, it was reported. The Herald Sun newspaper said Ronnie Verganza had signed a contract with A Current Affair. Victorian prisoner John Ford told a Bali court this week that Mr Verganza owned the 4.1 kg of marijuana found in a boogie board bag owned by Corby, a Gold Coast beauty school student facing drug smuggling charges. Ford told Denpasar District Court he overheard two fellow prisoners laughing about how a crime boss's shipment of marijuana had gone missing between Brisbane and Sydney last year. He was certain the stash was the same 4.1 kg of marijuana found in Corby's boogie board bag when she arrived at Bali airport last October. Facing a possible death sentence if convicted,