Nghe An determined to 'clean up' drugs in border areas

It clearly stated: In recent times, sectors and localities have made many efforts, tried, synchronously and drastically implemented solutions to prevent and combat crimes and drug abuse in the province, achieving many remarkable results. However, the crime and drug abuse situation in border communes is still complicated.

Currently, 27/27 border communes have drugs, including many communes with complex drug problems; the number of drug addicts is still high; criminal activities related to complex drug locations and gathering places pose high risks; drug criminals often transport drugs from Laos into the province and to other localities for consumption (through monitoring, 80% of the amount of drugs seized in the province originates from smuggling across the Vietnam - Laos border)...

Subjects in the ring transporting 150 heroin cakes and evidence. Photo: Trong Tuan

To strengthen the work of preventing and combating crimes and drug abuse in 27 border communes, "cleaning up" drugs on the border with Laos, contributing to stabilizing security and order, developing the economy - society, improving the lives of people in border communes, the provincial People's Committee requests:

Provincial Police

- Preside over and coordinate with functional forces (Border Guard, Customs) to continue to strengthen the drastic and synchronous implementation of solutions to prevent and combat drug crimes in general, in which, prioritize forces, means and measures to implement the work of "cleaning" drugs in 27 border communes, ensuring the progress of the Project to build "drug-free border communes" in Nghe An province in 2022.

Colonel Nguyen Duc Hai, Deputy Director of the Provincial Police, directly commanded the raid on drug dens in Que Phong in the early morning of April 20. Photo: Vuong Linh.

- Proactively advise and mobilize legal resources to support drug prevention and control work; coordinate with the Department of Finance to advise on funding to support the work of "building clean border communes from drugs" in 27 border communes.

Launching the drug-free commune model in Nam Can (Ky Son). Photo: Tinh Duong

Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs:

- Effectively implement drug rehabilitation work in border districts, in which, coordinate with the police force at all levels to have a priority mechanism for receiving compulsory drug rehabilitation subjects of border communes in the direction of supporting "cross-line" reception of drug addicts in 27 border communes to be sent to drug rehabilitation facilities far from their residential areas, isolate and neutralize drug addicts' contact with other subjects.

Injecting detoxification drugs for synthetic drug addicts at the Vinh City Labor and Social Affairs Center. Photo courtesy

- Take the lead in coordinating with the Provincial Police, the Department of Health and relevant departments and branches to guide and effectively implement drug addiction treatment in accordance with the provisions of the 2021 Law on Drug Prevention and Control and relevant guiding documents (in the immediate future, promptly advise on guiding documents on the process of implementing voluntary drug addiction treatment at home and in the community).

Teaching carpentry to drug addicts at the Education - Labor - Social Center of Tuong Duong district. Photo courtesy

- Direct relevant functional units to deploy solutions to strengthen education and vocational training for drug addicts; community reintegration, post-rehabilitation management and job creation for post-rehabilitation drug addicts in border communes, minimizing the possibility of relapse.

For the Department of Health, the Provincial People's Committee requests: Preside and coordinate with sectors and People's Committees of 06 border districts to prioritize forces and means to implement addiction treatment for addicts in 27 border communes.

Conduct reviews, grasp the situation and supplement and support the medical force doing drug rehabilitation work in border districts and communes; especially prioritize supporting human resources, medical equipment, drug testing tools... for facilities with the function of determining addiction status in border districts and communes.

Provincial Border Guard Command

- Strengthen propaganda and communication on drug prevention and control in border communes. Mobilize forces and means to strictly control border gates, trails and openings in border communes, and resolutely fight against criminal networks and gangs on the border.

Officers and soldiers of the Nam Can International Border Guard Station patrol the trails and openings. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Closely coordinate with the Police and Customs forces in implementing professional plans to "clean up" drugs in border communes. Proactively deploy international cooperation activities on controlling and combating cross-border drug crimes with Lao authorities on the opposite side of the border.

Provincial Customs Department:Direct functional units at border gates to strengthen control, promptly detect and arrest drug criminals. Regularly coordinate with the Police and Border Guard forces in deploying professional plans, fighting and arresting drug criminals at border gates.

Authorities inspect evidence in a drug case. Photo: Hai Thuong

People's Procuracy, People's Court of the province:Directing to strengthen coordination with investigation agencies at all levels in the investigation, prosecution, trial, and execution of drug cases at the border; coordinating in the preparation of drug rehabilitation records and trials to ensure timeliness and compliance with legal regulations.

At the same time, in each border district, coordinate with the police force to select and organize at least 01 mobile court to deter criminals and propagate and educate the law among people in border communes.

Mobile trial of subjects involved in illegal drug trafficking and possession in Keng Du commune, Ky Son. Photo: Ky Son Television Station

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:Direct the review and assessment of the implementation of socio-economic development policies in border communes; on that basis, have priority mechanisms in implementing policies related to agricultural and forestry development, especially priority loans, support for seeds, crops, job creation... for people in border communes, contributing to improving people's lives, eliminating causes and conditions for drug crimes.

Provincial Ethnic Committee:Strengthening the implementation of policies to support socio-economic development and improve the lives of ethnic minorities in border communes, especially in areas with particularly difficult economic conditions.

- For the Provincial Fatherland Front, Provincial Youth Union, Provincial Women's Union, Provincial Veterans Association, Provincial Elderly Association, Provincial Farmers' Association, the Provincial People's Committee proposes:

Strengthen propaganda and mobilize members and people in border communes to actively participate in drug prevention and control, and denounce drug-related crimes; build, consolidate, maintain and improve the effectiveness of models, tasks, and advanced examples in drug prevention and control; direct the Association at all levels to coordinate with the police forces at all levels to do a good job in drug addiction treatment, and support the reintegration of drug addicts into the community after treatment.

The Provincial Youth Union and the Provincial Youth Union presented 20 gifts to students who have trained well in the past time. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Strengthening supervision activities of agencies, organizations and localities in the implementation of drug prevention and control policies and laws in border districts and communes, promptly recommending appropriate and effective solutions to prevent and control drugs in border communes.

People's Committees of Thanh Chuong, Anh Son, Con Cuong, Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Que Phong districts:

- Strengthen the direction of drug prevention and control work in the district in general and in border communes in particular; raise awareness, role, responsibility, leadership, direction of drug prevention, control and control, "cleaning up" drugs in border communes of sectors, authorities, Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations at all levels, especially leaders.

Launching the drug-free border commune model in Ngoc Lam (Thanh Chuong). Photo: Duc Vu

- Review and evaluate the implementation of economic development and social security policies in border communes; prioritize resource support for drug "clean-up" work and prioritize the implementation of hunger eradication and poverty reduction policies, create conditions for production development, support capital, breeding stock... for disadvantaged groups, groups at risk of committing crimes, groups who have completed prison sentences, groups after drug rehabilitation... in border communes.

In particular, policy implementation must be associated with regular inspection, monitoring, and evaluation of policy implementation effectiveness at each commune level to ensure substance, suitability to the characteristics of the situation, and legitimate aspirations of the people.

Handing over vehicles to 27 border communes. Photo: Dang Cuong

The Provincial People's Committee also requested the Provincial Radio and Television Station and Nghe An Newspaper:Increase the time for news, broadcasting, and propaganda articles on drug prevention and control in 27 border communes; focus on propaganda, raising people's awareness in drug prevention and control, promoting "good people, good deeds", prestigious people in ethnic minority areas, who have made positive contributions to drug prevention and control in 27 border communes.

On April 7, 2022, the Director of the Provincial Police Department signed Decision No. 318/QD-CAT-PV01 on promulgating the Project to build "Drug-free border communes" in Nghe An province. The project is implemented in 27 border communes in 6 border districts of Nghe An, including: Anh Son (Phuc Son commune), Thanh Chuong (including 5 communes: Ngoc Lam, Thanh Son, Thanh Duc, Hanh Lam, Thanh Thuy), Tuong Duong (including 4 communes: Tam Quang, Tam Hop, Mai Son, Nhon Mai), Con Cuong (including 2 communes: Mon Son, Chau Khe), Ky Son (including 11 communes: Nam Can, Nam Can, My Ly, Bac Ly, Na Loi, Na Ngoi, Ta Ca, Dooc May, Keng Du, Muong Ai, Muong Tip), Que Phong (including 4 communes: Tri Le, Hanh Dich, Nam Giai, Thong Thu). The project will be implemented from April 15, 2022 to the end of 2022, divided into 3 phases.