The silent feats of Do Luong Police

(Baonghean) - Do Luong is considered one of the key areas in economic development, besides, there are still complex problems such as: Security and order, social order and safety, especially drug-related evils. Over the years, the Party Committee and the command of the Do Luong District Police have always promoted the spirit of solidarity, strived to compete and achieve many achievements, determined to make the district a drug-free area...

Drug "hotspot"

Do Luong district is located in the northwest of the province, with 3 national highways running through it: National Highway 46, National Highway 7 and National Highway 15A, bordering 4 districts of Yen Thanh, Tan Ky, Anh Son and Nghi Loc. In recent years, the economic growth rate in the district has been increasing. These specific geographical and social characteristics show that this is also a complex area in terms of security and order, a focus of criminal activities and drug abuse.

A corner of Do Luong Town. Photo: Tran Hai

According to statistics from Do Luong District Police, in nearly 30 years, Do Luong District Police have arrested 325 cases, over 400 subjects illegally trading, using, and storing drugs. Of which, 248 cases were prosecuted, 334 defendants were investigated, 77 cases were administratively handled, 84 subjects with evidence of over 230 kg of opium, 14 kg of liquid containing opium, 52 opium balls, 182 packets of heroin, 2.1 grams of synthetic drugs, 2,381 pink pills.

Since the beginning of 2016, the District Police have established 4 special projects, expanded investigations into 15 cases, and prosecuted 18 defendants related to the illegal possession, transportation, and trafficking of drugs, mainly concentrated in the communes of Yen Son, Da Son, Dang Son, Luu Son, Thuong Son, etc. This shows that the current situation of drug abuse in the area is gradually being thoroughly rectified with a more systematic investigation scale than before.

Many drug-related cases of the District Police Investigation Agency have been recognized by the people. After a period of monitoring, investigating, and collecting accurate information, on December 28, 2015, at the intersection of Da Son Commune (Do Luong), the District Police working group deployed forces, discovered, and arrested Le Quoc Viet (born in 1980), residing in Hamlet 6, Thanh Lien Commune (Thanh Chuong), for illegally storing drugs, and seized 0.185g of heroin. Expanding the investigation, the Police force arrested and urgently searched the residence of Hoang Thi Duong (born in 1976), residing in Hamlet 4, Da Son Commune (Do Luong). During the search, 4,960,000 VND and some related exhibits were seized.

Most recently (March 23, 2016), in Luu Son commune (Do Luong), the district police task force broke up a case, caught Nguyen Dinh Huy (born in 1996), residing in block 8, Do Luong town, red-handed for illegal possession of drugs, and seized 0.15g of crystal meth. Expanding the investigation, the Do Luong district police investigation agency arrested and urgently searched Nguyen Thi Thuc (born in 1980), residing in block 9, Do Luong town, for the act of "illegal drug trafficking", seizing 30.195g of crystal meth, 3 mobile phones, 1 electronic scale and nearly 5 million VND in cash. The investigation agency is currently investigating and expanding the case...

Get in on the action

Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa - Head of Do Luong Town Police, said: To combat and prevent drug abuse in the area, the unit has advised the Party Committee and government to develop a specialized resolution on combating drug abuse.

Implementing a self-management model on security and order such as: Increasing staff to each block, strictly managing suspicious subjects, increasing public patrols during rush hours. Cooperating with the Women's Union to maintain and promote the "Shield" movement. Cooperating with the Town Front organization to launch campaigns to mobilize people to participate in detecting and denouncing crimes in the residential community... Managing education and helping criminals in residential areas.

In 5 years, the people have voted secretly, providing hundreds of important sources of information to help the unit call, investigate, and detect over 30 cases involving 50 subjects storing, buying, selling, and using drugs. From the beginning of 2016 until now, 8 subjects using drugs have been arrested, fined 5 million VND to the budget. Records have been established to manage 28 addicts and 20 suspected addicts. Thanks to that, up to now, the town has no drug hotspots, has continuously achieved the title of Decisive Unit for many years and has been awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Provincial People's Committee.

To effectively respond and combat the above dangerous crime situation, the Party Committee and the District Police Command have a plan to advise the District Party Committee to direct the People's Committees of 33 communes and towns to develop a plan to combat once a year, aiming to eliminate and destroy drug hotspots and complex areas.

The Public Security Departments of all communes have reported on the situation, set out key tasks, and clearly identified the advantages and disadvantages of their establishments to have a direction for activities in the fight against drug abuse in the coming time. Accordingly, every year, the communes establish 33 steering committees in 33 communes and towns, and the steering committees propagate the Law on Drug Prevention and Control down to the grassroots level.

In particular, hamlets are divided into key, complicated, and high-risk areas, with a focus on students, youth, women, and children. Schools develop action programs, and party committees and branches propose specialized resolutions on the fight against drugs in the new situation.

Do Luong police organized a signing of a commitment with the police chiefs of communes not to trade, transport, or store firecrackers in 33 communes and towns.

To arouse and promote the mass movement to join hands in preventing and combating drug crimes, in addition to doing a good job of mobilizing and taking advantage of the support and assistance of superiors, the Party Committee and the commander of the District Police unit have played a good role in coordinating with district-level departments and offices such as the Fatherland Front, the Department of Internal Affairs, the Medical Center, the Department of Education, the Department of Culture and Information to develop a project on the fight against drug crimes. Implementing the model "Friends helping friends", establishing 41 community drug addiction treatment working groups.

Thanks to that, by the beginning of 2016, the situation of drug-related crimes was controlled, gradually reducing drug-related crimes and crimes, reducing the areas with violators from 30 communes and towns to 4 communes in key drug areas, the whole district only had about 30 suspects of drug-related activities, 136 drug users, the district had no drug hotspots, 4 retail and wholesale drug points that only existed for a short time were mostly destroyed and showed no signs of new activities.

The above results have recognized the efforts of the collective and officers of the Do Luong District Police in the fight against drug-related crimes. However, currently, drug crime activities are becoming more complicated, some subjects and retail outlets operate secretly, with the risk of arising in other areas.

The propaganda work on the harmful effects of drugs among the people is not synchronous, the coordination between communes is not active. In particular, the drug rehabilitation work in the locality has not been focused on, the sending of drug addicts to compulsory drug rehabilitation facilities is not effective. Along with that, the work of vocational training and employment for drug addicts to reintegrate into the community still has many shortcomings.

Luong Mai