Nghe An awards the project that seized 16,000 synthetic drug pills and 12kg of opium resin.

Attending the award ceremony were comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Previously, implementing the Plan of the peak of the fight against crime, smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods in the border and coastal areas before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2023 of the People's Committee of Nghe An province, the reconnaissance force of Nghe An Border Guard discovered a ring of illegal buying and selling and transporting from Laos to the border areas of Ky Son and Tuong Duong districts for consumption. Based on the analysis and assessment of the situation in the area and the subjects, on December 15, 2022, the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and the Border Guard Command of Nghe An province agreed to establish the NA 1222 project to focus on the fight.

Accordingly, the Drug and Crime Prevention Department of Nghe An Provincial Border Guard sent scouts to the area to coordinate with Muong Ai Border Guard Station and Nam Can International Border Guard Station to investigate, verify, and monitor the activities of the subjects identified in the project. Through professional measures during the implementation of phase 1, the Project Board learned that from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on December 24, 2022, subjects in the outskirts will transport drugs into Ky Son district to hand over to subjects to take to the northern provinces for consumption. It is considered that this is a favorable opportunity to organize, arrange, and use forces to capture subjects to end phase 1 in accordance with the requirements and tasks set out.

Subjects Xong Tong Xo and Xong Teng. Photo: Anh Bach

Specifically, at 5:35 p.m. on December 24, 2022, at landmark 404, about 300m from Vietnam, in Tien Tieu village, Nam Can commune, Ky Son district, the Drug and Crime Prevention Department of Nghe An Provincial Border Guard coordinated with the Border Guard Station of Nam Can International Border Gate, Muong Ai to catch Pum Xom Ma Ni Vong (born in 1996, Lao nationality, permanent residence in Din Dam village, Noong Het Tay village cluster, Noong Het district, Xieng Khouang province, Laos) in the act of illegally buying and selling drugs. The seized evidence was 4,000 pink synthetic drug pills. After Pum Xom Ma Ni Vong was arrested, the subjects identified in the project temporarily stopped transporting drugs.druggo to Ky Son area to listen for information.

In response to the activities of the subjects, in the second phase of the fight, through professional work, the Task Force obtained information that on the night of January 24 (the third day of the Lunar New Year), the subjects would change their location, cross the forest to transport drugs across the border to Mai Son commune, Tuong Duong district to deliver the goods. At 9:30 a.m. on January 25 (the fourth day of the Lunar New Year), when the subjects were transporting drugs to Pieng Cooc village (Mai Son commune, Tuong Duong district), the Drug and Crime Prevention Department in coordination with Nhon Mai Border Guard Station, Muong Ai, Nam Can International Border Gate discovered and arrested Xong Tong Xo (born in 1991) and Xong Teng (born in 2002), both residing in Muong Quan district, Hua Phan province, Laos, who were illegally transporting drugs. The seized evidence included 12 kg of opium resin and 12,000 pink synthetic drug pills, 2 sharp knives and some other related documents.

According to the initial statement, the subjects confessed that before the Lunar New Year, the subjects in Vietnam raised the issue of buying goods, but they assumed that before Tet, the functional forces on the Vietnamese side were strengthening the border protection force strictly, so Xong Tong Xo remained motionless. Taking advantage of the occasion of the Lunar New Year of Quy Mao 2023 in Vietnam to find loopholes in the functional forces and under the cover of being brothers visiting and wishing a happy New Year in Vietnam to bring the above amount of drugs from Laos to Vietnam for consumption, they were arrested.

With the requirements and tasks set out, Project NA1222 ended, arresting 3 subjects, seizing 16 thousand pink synthetic drug pills, 12 kg of opium resin, 2 sharp knives and many related documents, ensuring absolute safety of people and weapons.

Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke at the award ceremony. Photo: D.C

Speaking at the award ceremony, comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee highly appreciated the spirit of determination, intelligence, bravery and close coordination between the Border Guard units of Nghe An province. At the same time, he emphasized that the outstanding achievements of officers and soldiers of the Border Guard of Nghe An during the Lunar New Year of Quy Mao have contributed to maintaining political security and social order and safety in the border area and preventing drugs from being smuggled into Vietnam for consumption.

In the coming time, the drug crime situation will still be complicated, so the Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested the Nghe An Border Guard force to do a better job of grasping the situation, continue to coordinate effectively, and fight strongly and resolutely against drug crimes, not only against transnational drug trafficking rings but also against drug trafficking activities in the area.

Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee awarded the project team. Photo: D.C

Colonel Le Nhu Cuong, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of the Provincial Border Guard, authorized by the Border Guard High Command, presented awards to the investigation team. Photo: Hai Thuong

On this occasion, the Provincial People's Committee awarded 40 million VND; the Border Guard Command awarded 30 million VND to the project team.

Dang Cuong