Drugs still a problem in Nghe An

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100kg of drugs seized by Thanh Thuy Customs Branch (Nghe An Customs Department) on November 4. Photo: Nam Sy.

Quantity is increasingly

Steering Committee 389 of Nghe An province said that domestic and foreign drug crimes are increasingly closely connected, established drug gangs with sophisticated and reckless tricks, and use many modern communication devices.

Drug smugglers and heads of drug gangs have not directly transported drugs, but have enticed suspects that have relationship with Lao suspects to transport drugs into Vietnam-Laos border provinces. When transporting drugs into Vietnam-Laos border provinces, they often select delivery places and arrange suspects to control and monitor them. During drug trafficking and transport, if detected by competent forces, suspects are ready to use weapons to fight back.

Talking with reporters from Customs Newspaper, Nguyen Sy Hoang, Deputy Director of Nghe An Customs Department, said that when the Covid-19 pandemic is under control, means of transport have resumed operation, the number of drug transporters tends to increase.

Especially, sinceSeptember, border gate customs units have worked with competent forces in the area to tackle many cases of drug transportation in large quantities.

On September 15, in Khe Ne village, Chieu Luu commune, Ky Son district, Nghe An province, the working group of Nam Can International Border Gate Customs Branch and Ky Son District Police arrested Le Van Hung, born in 1990, residing in block 9, Con Cuongtown, Con Cuong district, Nghe An for illegally transporting 10kg of meth and two packages of heroin.

On October 29, during patrolsat the border of Tien Tieu village, Nam Can commune, Ky Son district, Nghe An province, Nam Can International Border Gate Customs Branch coordinated with Nam Can International Border Gate Border Guard Station to detect a suspect carrying a backpack from the border into Vietnam with suspicious signs. When chased by the competent forces, the suspect left the backpack. Through inspection, the Nam Can Customs and Border Guard seized 30 packages of heroin.

Most recently, on November 4, during a patrol at the border area of landmark 462, Thanh Thuy Border Gate Customs Branch coordinated with Thanh Thuy Border Gate Border Guard Station to seize 100kg of meth.

Strengthen work

Facing the development of illegal transportation and trafficking of drugs in areas along the Laos border via mountainous districts of Nghe An province, the Steering Committee 389 of Nghe An province has directed forces to closely coordinate, especially forces in Viet-Laos Border route to tackle and combat hotspots of trafficking, transporting and consumptionof drugs. In particular, strengthen the inspection and control in Ky Son districts, Que Phong, Tuong Duong and Thanh Chuong to prevent, detect and arrest drug traffickers who are part of large scaletransnational organized crime groups

In parallel with that, to arrange officers to be on duty 24/7 in the management area; perform patrol, control, investigate and grasp the situation on both sides of the border; strengthen screening through luggage scanners and usesniffer dogs to detect drugs. Promote dissemination for people at border gates and surrounding areas to understand clearly the harms of drugs, encourage people not to cover up and support drug crimes; not to transport, trade, possess and use drugs.