Strengthening coordination and prevention from the root to build a drug-free border commune

Attending the workshop were: Colonel Nguyen Duy Thanh - Deputy Director of Nghe An Provincial Police; Associate Professor, Dr. Colonel Tran Quang Huyen - Deputy Director of the People's Police Academy; representatives of leaders of specialized departments of Nghe An Provincial Police and representatives of the Provincial Party Committee, relevant departments and branches.

Also attending the workshop were representatives of the Public Security leaders of provinces sharing borders with Laos: Quang Nam, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, Son La.

The Vietnam-Laos border area stretches over 2,300 km through 10 Vietnamese provinces and borders 10 Lao provinces. The mountainous and rugged terrain, along with the close population, makes this area a “hot spot” for drug trafficking and transportation.

According to statistics from July 2021 to June 2024, functional forces along this area have detected more than 14,000 cases, arrested nearly 20,000 subjects, seized more than 1.9 tons of various drugs, nearly 3.1 million synthetic drug pills and many other evidences.

Drug crimes in the Vietnam-Laos border area are increasingly daring and sophisticated. The subjects often organize in closed groups, use firearms and fiercely fight back when discovered. In particular, the connection between domestic subjects and Lao people to gather and transport drugs across the border has created a great challenge for the authorities.

Faced with this situation, the Ministry of Public Security has implemented the Project “Non-drug free border communes” to create a shield to prevent crimes from the border. Nghe An is the first province to pilot the project and has achieved positive results after only 6 months of implementation, with 284 communes and 7 districts recognized as meeting the criteria of “none-drug free”. Nghe An’s success has become a model to be replicated in 9 other border provinces.

The project emphasizes the role of the local political system, the coordination between functional forces such as the Police, Border Guards and the masses. Model drug prevention models, combining propaganda, drug rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation management, have been implemented synchronously and effectively.

The workshop attracted 70 presentations from delegates, focusing on assessing the current situation and complex causes of drug crimes at the border; difficulties in building drug-free border communes; the role and responsibility of functional forces in ensuring security in border areas; forecasting the drug crime situation in the coming time... At the workshop, many opinions and proposals focused on solutions to improve the effectiveness of drug prevention and control, from policy mechanisms to implementation practices.

The comments from the workshop not only reflected the current situation but also provided many breakthrough solutions. In particular, the role of coordination between police, border guards and local authorities was considered a key factor.

The workshop also pointed out major difficulties in building drug-free border communes such as: complex geography; sophisticated methods of operation; limited awareness among people in border areas. In addition, facilities, means and funding in border communes are still lacking, making the fight against drugs face many difficulties.

To improve the effectiveness of the work of building a drug-free border commune with Laos, Associate Professor, Dr. Colonel Tran Quang Huyen - Deputy Director of the People's Police Academy - chaired the workshop and emphasized that relevant agencies, units and departments need to continue to advise the Provincial Party Committee to focus on leadership and direction to mobilize the entire political system to participate in effectively implementing the Project of building a drug-free border commune, determining a specific roadmap, attaching the responsibilities of organizations and individuals in drug prevention and control work with the 5 clear viewpoints: "clear people, clear work, clear progress, clear effectiveness, clear responsibility".

In the coming time, relevant sectors will continue to strengthen coordination, continue to focus on root-cause prevention solutions, destroy major drug networks, and support people to escape the spiral of drugs, thereby contributing to maintaining security and order in border areas and creating conditions for sustainable development for the Vietnam-Laos border provinces.