Efforts to 'keep clean' of drugs in border areas

Finish line of drug-free border commune

Mai Son commune has a 10.23 km long border, adjacent to Pha Danh commune cluster, Muong Quan district, Hua Phan province (Laos), Nhon Mai commune (Tuong Duong) and My Ly commune (Ky Son). Mai Son is considered a "favorable" place to be a transit area for drugs from the Golden Triangle through Laos to Nghe An to be transported to other places.

Besides, due to the difficult life of the people (mainly Thai, Mong, Kho Mu ethnic groups), a large number of people do not have a stable income, so many people take advantage of this to lure them into crime.

Since April 2022, when the "Drug-free Border Commune" Project was issued and vigorously implemented, many activities have been carried out at the same time with the aim of suppressing and dismantling many drug retail lines in the area, thereby gradually creating changes in drug prevention and control work.

In particular, propaganda and education workdrug preventionbe promoted and innovated in the way of propaganda to suit the characteristics of mountainous and border areas. Because the majority of people are ethnic minorities, many of whom are illiterate, along with direct communication activities, the commune government as well as functional forces must make leaflets and brochures with many illustrative images, translated into ethnic languages ​​so that people can easily grasp and remember. At the same time, coordinate with the team of village chiefs and prestigious people to organize the signing of commitments not to illegally store, buy, sell, or transport drugs, and not to replant opium poppies in each household in each village and hamlet.

In addition, the Commune Police force also implemented many plans to eradicate drug retail locations. In 2023 alone, the police presided over the arrest of 2 cases, 2 subjects, seized 53.17 grams of pink drugs; 10.44 grams of opium resin. At the same time, the functional forces also applied drug rehabilitation measures for addicts in the area. Up to now, in Mai Son commune, there are no more small-scale illegal drug trading locations.

Major Va Ba Cau - Head of Mai Son Commune Police shared: Sending drug addicts to rehabilitation is very important, contributing to cleaning up the area, avoiding the emergence of accompanying social evils. In 2022, there were 14 subjects in the commune who were forced to undergo rehabilitation. For the two cases of community rehabilitation in Huoi To 2 village, Luong Van N. and Vi Van T., the police force assigned 2 teams to work 14 days and nights at their homes. In addition to giving the subjects Methadone to help them stop their addiction, the police officers also had to encourage the addicts and their families to help and support them. Fortunately, thanks to their strong will, both Luong Van N. and Vi Van T. are now typical factors in developing the household economy in their villages and hamlets.

In 2023, in Mai Son commune, there were only 4 cases of compulsory drug rehabilitation. Many villages and hamlets have made great efforts in building a "drug-free village". A typical example is Pieng Mun village, which used to be an area with a fairly high number of drug addicts, including small traders, due to its terrain bordering Laos (about 2 km) and Ky Son district. Currently, Pieng Mun village is drug-free, a few addicts in the village have been sent to community-based drug rehabilitation, and people are highly aware of building a drug-free village.

Thanks to the synchronous participation of the entire political system, after only 6 months of implementing the "Drug-free border commune" project, Mai Son border commune has met all the criteria to be recognized as completing the project in October 2022.

Help people change their thinking and way of doing things

As a special area, the Mai Son commune government as well as the functional forces always determine that "cleaning" is difficult but keeping the area "clean of drugs" is much more difficult. Therefore, propaganda and mass mobilization work must still be deployed regularly and continuously, turning each citizen into the "ears, eyes" and factor in maintaining the "green zone" for the area.

Many good models in mobilizing the masses, promoting the strength of the great national unity bloc, participating in building a "drug-free border commune" have been built. Talking to us, the Chief of Mai Son Va Ba Cau Commune Police said: Ethnic minorities are generally very reluctant to report crimes because they are afraid of losing favor, afraid of affecting family relationships in the village, hamlet, and clan. Therefore, we have to use many methods, mobilizing through many people such as relatives, reputable people... to get people to voluntarily go to drug rehabilitation as well as proactively report drug trafficking spots in the area. The Commune Police force has also announced hotlines in 5 villages with drugs and placed 5 crime reporting mailboxes in many key locations. Up to now, this is still an important information channel to grasp the situation in the area.

The police force as well as the local government attach great importance to building typical prestigious people, because this is a team that has both a "voice" in the villages and hamlets, and is also the "extended arm" of the grassroots political system on the front of fighting to protect security and order, and prevent and combat crimes in border areas. Up to now, Mai Son commune has built 9 typical models in the villages and hamlets. The work of training, equipping legal knowledge, and identifying types of crimes for prestigious people has also received attention. Thereby, helping prestigious people have a more correct and objective view to promptly remind their children and grandchildren to raise their vigilance, avoiding being lured into illegal activities.

A typical case is that of Mr. Ngan Van Ph. (in Huoi Xa 2 village, Mai Son commune) - who was encouraged by the commune police force in coordination with prestigious people in the village to go to drug rehabilitation. Immediately after Mr. Ph. returned from drug rehabilitation, the local authorities and prestigious people in the family, and the village management board came to talk, meet, and encourage Mr. Ph. to stay away from drugs. Up to now, not only has he given up drugs, but Mr. Ph. is also an active factor in the activities of the village.

The timely grasp and reconciliation of conflicts and disputes right in the village and hamlet are also of interest and focus to the Party Committee and the government of Mai Son commune to limit the emergence of "hot spots". For example, in 2023, when the family of Ms. Lo Thi Ch. (in Huoi Xa village) learned that there was a conflict over a farmland dispute between a mother and her child, the commune police force and the local government invited the family to promptly resolve the matter. Thereby, contributing to increasing people's trust in the local government and functional forces.

According to Mr. Lo Van Dien - Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Mai Son Commune: Up to now, Mai Son Commune has been recognized as a drug-free border area. However, to maintain the "green zone", the Party Committee, the government and the functional forces have determined that propaganda work must be deployed with focus and key points, creating changes in the thinking and actions of the people. Thereby, promoting the role and strength of the entire population in the fight against drugs in particular, ensuring security and order in the border area in general.