Particularly large "drug factories" appear near Golden Triangle

	ASEAN ministers discuss drug issues
	Challenges in fight against drug crimes in the age of technology
	Transnational drug crime remains complicated

Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien awarded prizes to groups and individuals with achievements in drug prevention and combat. Photo: C04.

Drugs return to Vietnam by road

Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien, Director of the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (C04) chaired the conference.

Recently, taking advantage of the rugged terrain, mainly forests and mountains, suspects have sought to buy, sell and transport drugs from the Golden Triangle area through Laos and Cambodia to the North Central and Central Highlands provinces with complex and unpredictable developments.

Major General Nguyen Duc Thinh, Deputy Director of C04, said that the process of buying, selling and transporting drugs was divided into many stages by the subjects, gradually decreasing in quantity per trip, but increasing the number of trips.

Subjects often change methods and tactics to avoid arrest and loss of goods.

The ring is run by ethnic minorities in Vietnam, who have come to Laos to settle or flee, gain Lao nationality, and then hire groups of Laotians, equipped with hot weapons, to transport illegal drugs across the border into the provinces of Vietnam.

Notably, recently, foreigners opened factories to prepare and produce synthetic drugs near the Golden Triangle area in particularly large quantities, then transported them by road through the border gates of the Northern Central provinces into Vietnam and then continue to transport by sea to third countries for consumption.

The situation of drug crimes in cyberspace is increasingly common, complex and sophisticated. Subjects establish closed groups on social networks to advertise, solicit, entice, and gather to illegally use drugs, etc.

The delegates in the conference. Photo: C04.

Seized more than 800 kg of drugs of all kinds

Facing the complicated and unpredictable developments of the drug crime situation, C04 and local police along the North Central - Central Highlands route have proactively advised leaders at all levels to promulgate many programs, plans and resolutions that aim to mobilize the strength of the political system, synchronously and drastically deploy solutions to prevent crime and drug abuse.

In 6 months (the third year of implementing plan 3632), local police discovered and arrested 1,837 cases and 2,949 drug offenders, of which 123 cases were successfully fought and 19 kg of heroin were seized, more than 800 kg of synthetic drugs, 19 kg of cocaine, and many other drugs.

It is forecasted that in the coming time, the provinces on the North Central - Central Highlands line, especially the North Central provinces, will still be key drug areas. Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien requested local police to promote its proactive role in controlling, preventing and effectively suppressing drug crimes.

Focus on doing a good job of social prevention, professional prevention and applying procedural measures to ensure the goal of "not following crime".

Focus on well implementing the plan of the Ministry of Public Security and the direction of C04 on preventing and fighting drug crimes that take advantage of cyberspace to commit crimes.

At the same time, improve the effectiveness of the management of addicts, illegal drug users, and "stoned" people, associated with area management, eradication and resolution of complex points and gathering places of drugs.

Director C04 also requested that the Police of the provinces along the North Central - Central Highlands route continue to promote coordination with specialized drug prevention and combat forces of the Border Guard, Coast Guard, Customs. Improve the effectiveness of international cooperation with Laos and Cambodia to erect "steel shields" on the border to prevent drugs from afar, preventing drugs from entering Vietnam, etc.

At the Conference, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department awarded Certificates of Merit to 6 groups and 25 individuals with achievements in implementing professional plan 3632.