Talk about crime and drug prevention and control between eight (08) provinces of Laos and Vietnam.

Implement the Memorandum of Understanding at the 19th Conference on Cross-border Drug Prevention and Combat Coordination in 2019, held in Nghe An province. The provinces have led, directed, focused resources, and issued many documents directing and guiding all levels, branches, functional agencies, and organizations in the political system to strengthen coordination in the fight against fight crime and drug abuse to ensure security and order in the area, especially border areas. Promote propaganda and legal education on drug prevention and combat in many forms, consistent with practice. Provincial drug prevention and combat forces proactively coordinate and organize professional work at key drug routes and areas, focusing on identifying crime rings and groups in these areas, especially in adjacent and border areas; effectively deploy thematic plans to proactively prevent and fight against drug crimes, erase drug hotspots as well as plant and replant areas containing narcotics, step-by-step clean up the area, and actively build a stable, safe, and developed borderline.

Comrade Deputy Governor of Luang Prabang province spoke at the opening of the meeting.

With the coordination of drug prevention and control forces of eight (08) provinces, we have proactively identified, tested, and evaluated addiction status, established management records, and dealt with thousands of drug users and drug addicts, post-drug addiction managers, step by step limit the occurrence of relapse in drug addicts, discovered and handled 4,336 drug cases, arresting 5,553 people; confiscated evidence of 326,32 kg of heroin, 7,759,847 drug pills with a weight of 926,58 kg, 96,28 kg of opium, 40,67 kg of crystal meth, 29,1 kg of cocaine, 0,2 kg of ketamine and other substances related items; coordinate the arrest of many wanted subjects and fugitives in neighboring areas.

Delegates attending the Conference.

In addition to the results achieved, the cooperation in drug prevention and combat in eight (08) provinces still faces many difficulties. The borderline is mainly mountainous, the people live scattered, and there are many trails and open paths, leading to management work difficulty and irregular, creating favorable conditions for criminals to trade and transport drugs across the border. On the other hand, due to language differences, the exchange of information and coordination in the fight against drug crimes by the competent forces is not timely, and presence is limited; violations of border regulations still occur; Resources (people, vehicles, technical equipment, legal equipment...,) serving drug prevention and control work are not on par with mission requirements.

Comrade Dang Ngoc Hau, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, spoke at the meeting.

Representative of Son La province speaking at the meeting, Mr. Dang Ngoc Hau, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, gave an overview of the status of drug prevention and fight coordination in eight (08) provinces in recent times. At the same time, to continue improving the quality of coordination between provinces, effectively solving drug evils, especially inter-provincial and transnational drug crimes between provinces; continue to pay attention and direct to maintain results, sign a commitment of citizens to do not involve drugs; drug-free agencies, units, and areas; proactively prevent, detect, manage, and deal effectively with drug users, addicts, and people recovering from drug addiction; issue a system of leadership and direction documents specifically, defining responsibilities, operating mechanisms, operations from province to grassroots and implementation resources; deploy drug prevention, combat and control in overall socio-economic development activities to ensure the situation; effectively resolve a number of inadequacies in the law and different implementation forces; assess the situation, assign targets, sign commitments, control progress, implementation results, evaluate and consider emulation and reward work for collectives and individuals at the end of the year. In the coming time, continue to improve the quality of coordination between provinces, effectively solving drug evils, especially inter-provincial and transnational drug crimes between provinces of the two countries.

Eight provinces of Vietnam and Laos signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the fight against drugs.

At the talks, eight (08) provinces of two (02) countries, Vietnam - Laos, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the fight against drugs to gradually repel this type of crime and further deepen solidarity and relationship between Vietnam and Laos.

Representatives of eight (08) provinces of two (02) countries, Vietnam and Laos, took souvenir photos.

Comrade Dang Ngoc Hau, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee,

presented gifts to four (4) provinces of Lao PDR attending the talks.

Thien Duc - Hong Le

Translated by Tuan Minh DANG