Breaking up a huge drug ring in Laos

(Baonghean.vn) - The success of Project 352LV in arresting 2 subjects, seizing 36 heroin cakes, 15 thousand synthetic drug pills marked the process of smooth and effective coordination between the functional forces of the 2 provinces: Nghe An - Hua Phan. Thereby, further affirming the good relationship between the 2 countries of Vietnam and Laos in the fight against and prevention of drug trafficking, contributing toensure border security between the two countries.

The news that the anti-drug force (Nghe An Border Guard Command) in coordination with the police force of Hua Phan province (Laos) successfully broke up the 352LV project, thereby cutting off the drug trafficking and transportation network from Laos to Vietnam is making the people happy.

This is a feat of coordination between the functional forces of Vietnam and Laos.

It is known that this is the largest-scale and largest-confiscated case that the Nghe An Border Guard has ever successfully broken. According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Cong Luc - Deputy Commander of the Nghe An Provincial Border Guard Command, in addition to the intelligence and bravery of the Drug Prevention and Control Department's reconnaissance force, the cooperation of the Hua Phan Provincial Police (Laos) played a very important role in the success of the case.

Previously, through professional work, the Nghe An Border Guard's anti-drug force had obtained information that there were currently many drug trafficking routes from Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, Bo Ly Kham Xay provinces (Laos) to Que Phong and Thanh Chuong provinces for consumption. Lao people often crossed the border into mountainous areas of the communes of the two districts mentioned above to supply drugs to addicts.

Among them, the ring led by Tho No Chu (40 years old, residing in Sam To district, Hua Phan province, Laos) emerged. Tho No Chu's ring has been operating for many years with a large scale and extremely sophisticated methods of operation. Tho No Chu specializes in buying drugs from Xieng Khouang, then transporting them to Hua Phan through Sam To and Muong Quan districts, then continuing to transport them to Vietnam through unofficial routes to the communes of Que Phong and Thanh Chuong for consumption.

After gathering information, the Nghe An Border Guard Command decided to establish a special project to monitor and destroy the case. However, because these subjects are Laotian and mainly operate on Laotian soil, the border guards decided to coordinate with the authorities of Hua Phan province (Laos) to solve the case.

Based on the analysis of the actual situation and the content of the signed regulations on coordination in fighting against all types of crimes between Nghe An Border Guard and the police of the provinces sharing the border, Nghe An Border Guard proactively proposed to Hua Phan Provincial Police to join in the fight and dismantle this complex drug trafficking ring.

The two subjects Tho No Chu and Tho Va Giong were handed over by the Provincial Border Guard Command to the Hua Phan Provincial Police (Laos).

In early January 2016, the Provincial Border Guard Command sent two comrades, including Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Luc - Deputy Commander of the Provincial Border Guard and comrade Ly Ba Thai - Head of the Drug and Crime Prevention Department, to directly go to Laos to discuss the plan to solve the case with the functional forces of Hua Phan province.

“When we went to discuss the issue of coordinating to solve the case with the Deputy Director of Hua Phan Provincial Police (Laos), we received high consensus and support. After discussion, on January 23, 2016, the Provincial Border Guard Command and Hua Phan Provincial Police agreed to establish a special project with code 352LV. At the same time, the two sides established a Joint Steering Committee and immediately deployed professional activities to monitor and grasp the activities of the subject,” said Lieutenant Colonel Luc.

Through reconnaissance work, information from the base reported that the subject Tho No Chu was hiding a large amount of goods and preparing to transport drugs into Vietnam for consumption. On April 5, the Steering Committees of the two countries met and agreed to establish a plan to solve the case numbered 514. On April 16, the functional forces of the two provinces quickly deployed the plan to solve the case. According to the plan, the Nghe An Border Guard dispatched 18 officers and soldiers to coordinate with 15 officers and soldiers of the Hua Phan Provincial Police, divided into many working groups to ambush and monitor the subject's movements.

This morning, April 17, when the two subjects Tho No Chu and Tho Va Giong started moving, the authorities deployed troops. At 11:30 a.m., when Tho Va Giong moved to a deserted location, about 10km from the center of Sam To district to deliver the goods, the authorities suddenly raided and arrested the subjects.

“When he saw the police, the suspect drove his motorbike into our officers, but the officers avoided him. Then, he crashed his motorbike into the police car in an attempt to escape, but we were able to capture him using professional measures. At the same time, another task force surrounded and arrested Tho No Chu in the center of Sam To district (Laos) when he was preparing to receive money,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ly Ba Thai.

Comrade Le Xuan Dai awarded the 352LV Project Team.

Recognizing the achievements of the task force, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Dai assessed that the task force achieved three major successes. These were the discovery and seizure of the largest amount of drugs ever; ensuring absolute safety for the task force; and especially coordinating smoothly and effectively with the functional forces of Laos, specifically the Hua Phan provincial police, in the fight against drug transportation and trafficking, ensuring border security between the two countries.

At the award ceremony, the Vice Chairman of the province emphasized that the situation of drug trafficking and transportation from the border into the province is currently very complicated. Therefore, in addition to the work of grasping the situation and deploying forces, the border guards need to coordinate more smoothly and effectively with the functional forces of Laos to effectively combat the situation of drug trafficking and transportation. Thereby, contributing to ensuring peace for the people, ensuring national security, contributing to further enhancing the good traditional relationship between Vietnam and Laos.

Pham Bang