Vietnam, Laos cooperate effectively in combating drug crimes

	The fight against drug crimes is still extremely arduous and challenging
	Strengthening coordination in fighting drug crimes
	Criminals take advantage of establishing enterprises to illegally produce and transport drugs

Delegates take souvenir photos at the Conference..

At the bilateral Ministerial Conference between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Ministry of Public Security of Laos to enhance cooperation in combating crimes, maintaining social order, and tackling drug-related issues on October 14, 2024 in Hanoi, delegates focused on discussing the situation of crime, social order and safety, and drug crimes related to the two countries;

Evaluating the situation and results of coordination work on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed on August 9, 2021 between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Ministry of Public Security of Laos on cooperation in drug control; and cooperation in combating human trafficking, social order offenses, and drug trafficking along the Vietnam-Laos border.

The two sides reviewed major cases such as: The case of Ha Tinh Provincial Police destroying a human trafficking ring, using high technology to defraud and appropriate assets, organizing gambling... with an especially large scale, complex nature, transnational activities operating in the Golden Triangle area (in Bo Keo province, Laos).

The case 103H, the Department of Drug Crime Investigation (C04, Ministry of Public Security) discovered Taiwanese (Chinese) people colluding with Lao people to illegally produce and transport drugs across the country, seizing 1.3 tons of ketamine...

On this occasion, the Ministry of Public Security of the two countries signed a Minutes of Cooperation in combating crimes, maintaining social order, and social security and a Memorandum of Understanding on drug control; discussed solutions to improve the effectiveness of cooperation in combating crimes, social order and security, and drug crimes in the coming time.

According to information at the Conference, from July 2021 to June 2024, the police of 10 provinces (of Vietnam) bordering Laos handled 14,131 cases, 19,961 arrests; seized 1,910.15 kg of various drugs, 3,095,093 synthetic drug pills, 3,448 opium plants, and many other related evidences.

In Laos, the enforcement authorities cracked down on 15,859 drug cases, arrested 23,458 suspects, including 560 foreigners.

Seized exhibits include: more than 158,945,229 synthetic drug pills (about 15.9 tons); 12.5 tons of crystal meth; 26.6 tons of marijuana; 1.7 tons of heroin; 1.886 tons of opium; 9,836 ecstasy pills; 3.6 tons of ketamine; 6.8 kg of cocaine; 78.5 tons of drug precursors; destroyed 1,896 out of a total of 3,288 hectares of opium poppy plantations in nine northern provinces.

Regarding the coordination of joint cases, in 2022, the police forces of the two countries coordinated to fight two joint cases established by C04 (VA0856L, VA0323C), one joint case established by Dien Bien Provincial Police (VA822L).

In 2023, the authorities of the two countries coordinated together to fight five cases.

Since the beginning of 2024, the two sides have coordinated to investigate six joint cases, three of them were established by C04, two by local police and the rest by the Lao Drug Enforcement Department.

A typical example is the 522H project that dismantled a drug trafficking and transportation ring from Cambodia and Laos to Ho Chi Minh City for consumption in other provinces, arresting two suspects and seizing 110 kg of synthetic drugs. Expanding the case, the authorities seized 100 kg of synthetic drugs and arrested eight suspects, including two Laotians

At the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long Chairman of National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control, highly appreciated the results of the coordination in the fight against drug crimes between the two countries' Ministries of Public Security in recent times. Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long speaks at the Conference. To continue to improve the effectiveness of cooperation between the two ministries, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that the two sides clearly define their viewpoints and a number of key goals for cooperation, such as: Further promoting the combined strength of the political system and the entire people in preventing, combating, and stopping crimes and drug abuse, reducing serious crimes, reducing crimes in key areas, contributing to building a safe and stable society to serve the socio-economic development of the countries. Strengthening information, preventing crimes and drug abuse, building a movement for the entire people to protect national security, especially in key and strategic areas, ethnic minority areas, religious areas, border areas, islands, industrial zones and large cities. Maintaining and maximizing the effectiveness of the existing cooperation mechanism on drug and crime prevention and control between the two countries, focusing on key areas including: enhancing information exchange and sharing via hotlines; enhancing coordination in implementing professional and transnational operations; strengthening the improvement of the system of policies and laws on combating crimes and drug prevention and control. Strengthening resources for crime control and drug abuse; improving the efficiency of using equipment, means, technical equipment, weapons, support tools, means serving the work...