Nghe An launches Action Month for Drug Prevention and Control in 2022

Attention to 6 districts and 27 border communes

In Official Dispatch No. 312/KH-UBND dated May 21, 2022 on the plan to implement the Action Month on Drug Prevention and Control, the Provincial People's Committee requested: The People's Committees of 06 border districts prioritize drug prevention and control propaganda in 27 border communes; mobilize and proactively inspect, prevent, and not allow the replanting of plants containing narcotic substances in the area.
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)...

Launching the drug-free border commune model in Nam Can commune, Ky Son district. Photo: TD

Faced with the above situation, 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" deployed 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.

Immediately after the launching ceremony of the "Drug-free Border Commune" model, in Tri Le commune, Que Phong district on April 19, 2022, a series of localities implementing the Project to build "Drug-free Border Communes" in the province such as Anh Son, Thanh Chuong, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Ky Son also held the launching ceremony of the "Drug-free Border Commune" model. Along with that, many drug hotspots and drug lines were eliminated.

Colonel Nguyen Duc Hai - Deputy Director of the Provincial Police directly directed the process of attacking drug dens. Photo: Vuong Linh

Typically, in the early morning of April 20, under the direct command of Major General Pham The Tung - Director of the Provincial Police, Nghe An Provincial Police simultaneously launched a campaign to destroy 12 complicated drug dens in the areas of Pa Khom and Tam Hop villages (Tri Le commune), Thanh Phong 2 and Na Cong villages (Muong Noc commune) and Kim Khe village (Chau Kim commune), Que Phong district.

Related subjects at the police station. Photo courtesy of Vuong Linh

Or recently, at 12:30 on May 15, 2022, at village 9, Phuc Son commune, Anh Son, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (PC 04, Nghe An Provincial Police) co-chaired with Anh Son District Police, coordinated with Phuc Son Border Guard Station to inspect a motorbike with license plate 37M1-307.32 driven by Luong Van Thanh, born in 1971, Thai ethnic group, a freelance worker, residing in Veu 1 village, Phuc Son commune, Anh Son.
During the inspection, the authorities discovered 6,000 synthetic drug pills (pink pills) hidden in the trunk of the car.

The subject and the evidence of 6,000 MTTH pills were seized. Photo courtesy of Anh Bach

To ensure the progress of the Project to build "Clean Border Communes"drug"In Nghe An province, on May 13, 2022, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued an official dispatch assigning specific tasks to each department, branch and locality on strengthening the work of preventing and fighting to "clean up" drugs in the border areas of the province.
In the plan to implement the Action Month on Drug Prevention and Control (June 2022), the Provincial People's Committee continues to request the People's Committees of 6 border districts to direct the effective construction of the model "Clean border communes on drugs" in27 border communes and research and replicate the model to the remaining communes in the area. Pay attention to investment and economic development to improve the lives of people in remote and border areas, especially those areas that previously grew plants containing narcotics, so that they can stabilize their lives and not replant plants containing narcotics.

At the same time, coordinate with functional forces to strengthen international cooperation activities in border control; regularly exchange information and coordinate professional activities with functional forces of Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, and Bolikhamxay provinces of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to effectively carry out border control work in border areas.

Synchronously deploy multiple solutions

During the 2022 PCMT Action Month, the Provincial People's Committee requested the synchronous mobilization of forces and means to organize attacks and crackdowns on drug crimes throughout the province.
Key forces (Police, Border Guard, Customs) proactively grasp, analyze, and forecast the situation, promptly resolve emerging issues of crime and drug abuse in the area; organize peak periods of attacks and suppression of drug crimes, focus on fiercely fighting and eliminating inter-provincial and transnational drug crime rings and gangs right from the other side of the border. In particular, prioritize forces and measures to strongly and resolutely fight against drug crimes on the Vietnam - Laos border.

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

In addition, implementing solutions to improve the effectiveness of eliminating synthetic drug use hotspots, effectively preventing and strictly handling illegal drug use, especially the situation of taking advantage of motels, hotels, bars, karaoke bars... to organize illegal drug use; especially in the context of flexible adaptation to the Covid-19 epidemic situation, many types of service businesses with security and order conditions are reopened.
Most recently, on May 12, 2022, from a source of crime denunciation, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department of the Provincial Police coordinated with Nghi Loc District Police to destroy a prostitution and illegal drug use den disguised as a karaoke business at Hanh Hien motel owned by Tran Thi Hien (born 1969), residing in Kim My hamlet, Nghi An commune, Vinh city.

Police work with some related subjects at Hanh Hien Karaoke bar. Photo courtesy of Minh Tam

When the police raided the facility, they caught red-handed in a karaoke room 5 people, including 3 men and 2 women residing in Nghi Loc district and Cua Lo town, organizing illegal drug use. They seized a ceramic plate with a little ketamine and a straw on it. Through a quick test, it was determined that all 5 people were positive for drugs.
At the same time, it was discovered that in 3 rooms of the restaurant, there were 3 couples of men and women engaged in prostitution. In addition, there were more than 10 female employees at the restaurant, all of whom were prostitutes from mountainous districts of Nghe An province. Through a quick drug test, 2 employees were found positive for drugs.

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

The Provincial People's Committee also requested functional agencies and localities to strengthen drug rehabilitation, post-rehabilitation management and community reintegration. Strive to end the month 06/2022, the results of compulsory drug addiction treatment records must reach at least 60% of the target assigned in Decision 5067/Decision No. 104/QD-UBND dated December 24, 2021 of the People's Committee of Nghe An province. At the same time, improve the effectiveness of addiction treatment and strictly manage the organization of addiction treatment at treatment facilities, prevent the illegal purchase and sale, and organization of "dual" drug use. Continue to direct the effective implementation of the Program for substitution treatment of opioid addiction with Methadone and Buprenorphine.

Vinh City marches in response to Drug Action Month. Photo courtesy of Tien Hung

In Official Dispatch No. 312/KH-UBND dated May 21, 2022, the People's Committee of Nghe An province also requested the Department of Information and Communications, the Department of Culture and Sports, and the Department of Tourism to direct and coordinate with departments, branches, unions at all levels, press and media agencies to organize propaganda activities to implement the 2022 PCMT Action Month, ensuring depth, practicality, and effectiveness, in which priority is given to propagating examples of good people, good deeds, and prestigious people who have made many contributions to drug prevention and control work, especially in 27 border commune

Thereby, raising people's awareness in drug prevention and control and actively participating in detecting and denouncing drug crimes.