Nghe An: Synchronously and drastically deploy solutions to prevent drug smuggling across the border

The plan clearly states the requirements: Synchronously and drastically deploy PCMT solutions to effectively prevent drug smuggling across the border, not allowing Nghe An to become a transit area for the whole country; improve the effectiveness of prevention work, fight and destroy criminal networks, drug violations and drug abuse.

Deploy solutions to transform key areas with complex drug problems; strengthen solutions for drug addiction treatment, post-treatment management and strictly manage drug addicts in society, creating positive changes in drug addiction treatment in the province.

Authorities inspect evidence in a drug case. Photo courtesy of Hai Thuong

To fulfill that requirement, the Provincial People's Committee sets out 8 goals:

- 100% of cases related to the law and drug crimes, especially cases related to the organization and illegal use of drugs, are handled promptly, strictly, and in accordance with the law. The work of arresting, detaining, investigating, and handling drug crimes is in accordance with the law, without wrongful convictions or letting criminals escape.

- 100% of communes, wards, towns, schools... are propagandized about the law on PCMT in many different forms, at least once a year, in conjunction with ensuring requirements on Covid-19 prevention and control.

- Control and reduce the number of drug addicts compared to 2021, 100% of communes, wards and towns with drugs are focused on directing transformation, striving to reduce commune-level areas with drugs in 2021; basically successfully eradicate complex drug hotspots and gathering places that have been reviewed and counted in 2021

- Collect statistics and grasp the situation of drug addicts; the proportion of addicts with management records who have access to counseling, treatment, and drug addiction rehabilitation services reaches 76% of the total number of addicts with management records; the proportion of addicts participating in voluntary drug addiction rehabilitation at home, in the community, and at drug addiction rehabilitation facilities out of the total number of addicts undergoing rehabilitation reaches 40%.

- Do a good job in drug addiction treatment and post-treatment management, 80% of drug addicts are treated at facilities with drug addiction treatment functions; 40% of drug addicts are treated at home and in the community are trained in a profession. Continue to increase the number of people who can borrow capital and create jobs according to the law.

- Improve the operational efficiency of treatment facilities and Methadone and Buprenophin dispensing points in the province; strive to fulfill the targets assigned by the government. Research and propose a plan to deploy multi-day Methadone dispensing in the province.

- Strictly control and manage drug precursors, addictive substances, and psychotropic substances, and prevent the production and preparation of synthetic drugs and the re-cultivation of plants containing narcotic substances.

- Do not replant narcotic plants; promptly detect and eradicate 100% of the planting and replanting area of ​​narcotic opium plants.

Police forces continue to fight armed groups of drug traffickers in border areas. Photo: Archive

To achieve those goals, the Provincial People's Committee requires functional branches to improve the effectiveness of consulting, directing, and effectively implementing all aspects of drug prevention and control work in conjunction with the directives of the Central Government, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Provincial Party Committee on drug prevention and control work. The Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee's staff summarized 3 years of implementing Directive No. 36-CT/TW dated August 16, 2019 of the Politburo on enhancing the effectiveness of drug prevention, control and control work and conducted inspections and supervision of the implementation of Directive No. 36-CT/TW in Do Luong district.

Direct the implementation of the plan to adjust the Program for treatment of opioid addiction with Methadone in Nghe An and implement the provision of Methadone for many days for people being treated for opioid addiction (when directed by the Ministry of Health). Continue to direct the effective implementation of PCMT programs, plans and projects, at the same time, perfect the interdisciplinary team to control legal drug activities and issue regulations for coordination in controlling legal activities related to drugs in Nghe An province.

Quy Chau District Police and Youth Union coordinate to propagate the law to villages. Photo courtesy of HT

Regarding social prevention work, the Provincial People's Committee requires regular organization of PCMT propaganda activities in the direction of diversifying propaganda contents and forms, focusing on key areas, high-risk subjects (students, unemployed people, families, relatives of drug addicts, etc.), in accordance with the content and requirements of Covid-19 epidemic prevention in the area. Increase the use of social networks, apply 4.0 technology to propagate PCMT.

Promote the effectiveness of the national movement to protect the fatherland, mobilize people to actively participate in detecting and denouncing crimes and drug abuse, and participate in helping drug addicts to quit, support drug addicts to reintegrate into the community after rehabilitation; build and replicate advanced models and examples. Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the state in ensuring security and order, especially in managing residence, households, people, and the situation of the people; strictly manage business lines with security and order conditions that are easily exploited by drug criminals; strengthen patrols and ensure security and order on key routes and areas, focusing on detecting and arresting criminals.

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

Regarding the fight against and handling of drug crimes in 2022, the 180 KH-UBND plan of the Provincial People's Committee clearly states: Focus on comprehensively implementing measures to prevent drug crimes, "prevent supply and reduce demand" for drugs. Proactively develop plans to combat and destroy drug trafficking and illegal transportation lines. Conduct a general review of complex drug points and hotspots in localities, conditional business establishments with potential risks of drug-related crimes to assign, decentralize, and assign management and organization responsibilities with a specific roadmap and time to transform the area, associated with the responsibilities of grassroots forces; maintain and expand drug-free communes, wards and towns.

Strengthen coordination in the fight, armed sweeps, arrests, and expulsion of gangs and subjects using "hot weapons" to organize drug crimes, especially in areas and border lines. Strive to contain and prevent the emergence of new complicated drug areas, contain and reduce drug crimes, and prevent Nghe An from becoming a drug transit area of ​​the whole country. Coordinate in the investigation, prosecution, and strict, timely, and correct trial of all types of drug crimes.

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

The Provincial People's Committee also requested to improve the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation management. Pay attention to investment and socio-economic development for people in remote, isolated and border areas, especially opium growing areas, to help them stabilize their lives. Strengthen international cooperation on drug prevention and control, especially with Lao PDR at all three levels (province, district, commune) on the basis of signed and participated cooperation mechanisms on drug prevention and control.

Improve the operational efficiency of the cross-border drug trafficking liaison office (BLO) Que Phong - Sam To with Lao authorities to continue to carry out in-depth cooperation, especially in exchanging information, establishing joint projects; coordinate the implementation of professional measures, fight to eradicate transnational drug crime rings, drug gathering points along the border and wanted criminals hiding in Laos.

Improve the capacity and effectiveness of the PCMT work force at all levels; continue to pay attention to and prioritize policies and regimes for full-time and part-time forces and those who do not receive salaries from the state budget to participate in PCMT, especially at the commune level; promptly encourage and reward collectives and individuals with achievements in PCMT work. Increase budget investment, expand forms and social measures for PCMT; mobilize maximum legal resources to participate in PCMT work; manage, supervise and effectively use funding sources for PCMT work./.