Nghe An replicates the model of 'cleaning up' and 'keeping clean' of drugs

Replicating the model of "drug-free villages"

In March 2023, Minh Tien village, Luong Minh commune (Tuong Duong) launched the model "Drug-free village". This is the third village in the commune (after Ca Mong and Xop Chao villages) to implement this model. Minh Tien village has 130 households, with 619 people, 100% of whom are Khmu ethnic group.

There are 4 drug addicts in the area, who have now gone to work far away. To prevent them in time, not to create more drug addicts, not to let drugs affect people's lives, the Party Committee of Luong Minh commune is determined to build Minh Tien village into a "Drug-free village".

Thereby, promoting the strength of the entire population in performing the tasks of ensuring security, order, preventing and combating drug-related crimes, as well as managing post-rehabilitation drug addicts in the area.

Similarly, Luu Thong village, Luu Kien commune has 100% of the population being Mong ethnic people, located about 2.5 km from National Highway 7A, bordering villages in Nam Can and Chieu Luu communes, Ky Son district. Since 2020, the village has implemented the construction of a drug-free village, thanks to which, the security and order situation in the area is always ensured, there are no addicts, no drug criminals in the area. With the characteristics of a mountainous, border district, complex and rugged terrain (with 67.069 km of border adjacent to Laos), criminals often choose Tuong Duong district as the area to transport and trade drugs.

Implementing the Nghe An Police Project on building "Narcotics-free border communes", Tuong Duong district has synchronously and drastically deployed in 4 border communes, including Tam Quang, Tam Hop, Mai Son, Nhon Mai and inland Tam Dinh commune. On April 25, 2022, Tuong Duong District Party Committee issued Resolution No. 05 on implementing the construction of "Narcotics-free communes and towns" in the district. After successful deployment in border communes, on December 5, 2022, Tuong Duong District Party Committee issued Directive No. 08 on continuing to promote the implementation of Resolution No. 05 to strive to become a drug-free district. Along with that, the district Fatherland Front has chaired and coordinated with local departments and branches to deploy the model of "Drug-free villages".

According to Mr. Luong Ba Vin - Head of the Mass Mobilization Committee, Chairman of the Fatherland Front of Tuong Duong district: Cleaning up drugs in each village will greatly contribute to the peace of the people and the locality. Therefore, from the beginning of the term, the Fatherland Front of the district has taken the lead in building a "Drug-free village" model in each commune. On that basis, many localities have proactively expanded it to other villages in the area with specific names.

For example, "Drug-free village associated with community reintegration" in Co Phao village, Yen Na commune; "Drug-free village and security cameras" in Khe Kien village, Luu Kien commune; "Drug-free village associated with the movement of the whole people to protect national security" in Phay village, Xieng My commune; "Drug-free village associated with the development of rattan and bamboo weaving" in Yen Huong village, Yen Hoa commune... Thereby, contributing to pushing back the complicated situation of drugs in residential areas.

In Ky Son district, a particularly difficult border area, bordering 4 districts in 3 provinces of Laos, there are 20 communes and 1 town (of which 11 are border communes), the work of building drug-free villages is also considered important.

For example, in Xam Xum village, Muong Long commune, it used to be one of the "hot spots" for drug trafficking and use. Faced with that reality, the People's Committee of Muong Long commune instructed the Village Management Board to issue Xam Xum village conventions and covenants with 13 contents, including strict regulations such as: When discovering strangers entering the village, they must immediately report to the authorities, people must not let strangers stay, curfew hours are regulated, households with drug-addicted children must be encouraged to go to centralized drug rehabilitation centers or home rehabilitation centers... Along with that, the Party Committee of Muong Long commune has established and assigned tasks to a working group of 15 members to jointly fight against the drug problem in Xam Xum village. Ky Son district police and district-level departments and branches also pay attention to supporting and helping the commune government to eliminate a number of drug retail points in the village and arrest key drug suppliers.

Many village elders and prestigious people in the village have visited each house to encourage drug addicts to self-treat at home or go to the district rehabilitation center to reintegrate into the community as soon as possible. The "total" involvement of the entire political system has helped Xam Xum village change. The people of Xam Xum village have realized the dangers and painful consequences of drug abuse, so they have proactively prevented and fought against it. Thanks to the implementation of synchronous solutions, starting from villages and hamlets like Xam Xum, up to now, 19/21 communes and towns in Ky Son district have been recognized as "drug-free areas".

Many solutions for "cleaning", "keeping clean"

To improve the effectiveness of crime prevention and control work and drug-related evils, the Provincial People's Committee has proactively issued Plan No. 310 dated May 9, 2023 on strengthening the management of drug addicts in the community and post-rehabilitation people, contributing to "keeping clean" drugs in communes, wards and towns, towards building "Drug-free districts, cities and towns" in the province.

In particular, focusing on 4 groups of subjects: (Addicts undergoing voluntary drug rehabilitation at home and in the community; Addicts undergoing treatment with Methadone; Post-rehabilitation people; Addicts absent from the area) to "clean up" and "keep clean" drugs at the commune level. During the implementation process, the Provincial People's Committee has directed relevant departments and branches to develop and complete the draft Resolution of the Provincial People's Council on regulations on a number of regimes and policies to support compulsory drug rehabilitation, voluntary drug rehabilitation, post-rehabilitation management and responsibility to contribute to voluntary drug rehabilitation at drug rehabilitation facilities in the province to be submitted to the Provincial People's Council meeting in July 2023 for approval, in order to promptly promulgate and implement to support appropriate regimes and policies, contributing to improving the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation management.

The People's Committees of districts, cities and towns have also done a good job in community reintegration and post-rehabilitation management. During the Action Month for Drug Prevention and Control, districts, cities and towns have established 296 compulsory drug rehabilitation records and completed 136 community drug rehabilitation records for drug addicts in accordance with the law. Currently, drug rehabilitation facilities in the province are managing 1,799 students (including 1,701 compulsory students and 98 voluntary students). In addition, many criminal networks and complex drug dens have been fought and eliminated.

During the Month of Action for a Drug-Free Community (June 1-30, 2023) alone, the functional forces in the province discovered and arrested 245 cases, 312 drug-related criminals, seized 6 heroin cakes, 685.11 grams of heroin; 446.273 grams of synthetic drugs; 76,340 synthetic drug pills; 5,122.643 grams of crystal meth; 28.1 grams of marijuana; 10.44 grams of opium. Along with that, the police of units and localities discovered and arrested 58 cases, 80 subjects illegally using drugs, and eliminated 27 drug retail points.

According to the assessment of the Provincial People's Committee in Official Dispatch No. 464 dated July 28, 2023, the drug crime situation in the province, although being controlled and reduced in nature and level, is still potentially complicated. The number of drug addicts in the area is still high, with a tendency to get younger and gradually switch to using synthetic drugs and crystal meth (currently there are 3,935 addicts with management records), the number of drug addicts who are trained in vocational skills, given jobs and applied post-rehabilitation management measures is generally limited...

From that reality, the People's Committee of Nghe An province determined to continue to strengthen the direction of sectors and localities to organize effective and practical drug prevention and control propaganda activities; maintain and replicate advanced models and typical examples in drug prevention and control in key areas; do a good job of drug addiction treatment and post-treatment management, especially drug addiction treatment at home and in the community. The People's Committee of the province also requested functional forces (Police, Border Guard, Customs) to continue to review and grasp the actual situation of drug retail points and hotspots in the area; promptly have solutions to fight, eradicate, and "clean up" the area, not to let the formation of complicated points and drug retail points that cause resentment among the people.

Mobilize forces, synchronously and resolutely deploy professional measures, combat and eradicate large drug crime rings and gangs, inter-provincial and transnational. At the same time, strengthen international cooperation activities in drug prevention and control with the functional forces of Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, Bolikhamxay provinces (Laos) to effectively carry out drug prevention and control work in border areas.