Drug smuggling still a problem on the Southwest border

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0.5 kg of drugs hidden in a watermelon seized by Kien Giang Police in February 2022.

Seven key routes to transport drugs from Cambodia

At the Conference to review the performance of professional plans on the combat against drug-related crimes on the Southwest border organized by the Investigation Police Department on Drug-related Crimes (C04, Ministry of Public Security), on April 13 at An Giang, a representative of C04 said amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the authorities have strictly controlled people and vehicles crossing the border, so smugglers hide drug in goods (rice and fruit) and take advantage of priority vehicles (green channel vehicles) to illegally transport narcotics across the border to Ho Chi Minh City for consumption.

Meanwhile, the trend of drug trafficking and the use of synthetic drugs in Cambodia has been increasing. In particular, suspects changed methods from buying, selling and transporting drugs from abroad into Cambodia to producing synthetic drugs in the country.

The authorities of the southwestern border provinces and Ho Chi Minh City have identified seven key routes for drug traffickers from Cambodia across the southwestern border to inland for consumption. In the country, the authorities identified 37 key routes, 80 key areas, 106 gathering places, and 19 complex places for crime and drug abuse.

After six months of implementing professional plans on the combat against drug-related crimes on the Southwest border, the police force has achieved many important results in preventing and fighting drug crimes from abroad to Vietnam; specific measures and solutions have been developed from the ministry level to the grassroots level.

According to C04, the unit and the Police of six Southwest provinces and Ho Chi Minh City Police seized 1,120 cases and 2,097 suspects.

The seized goods included 25,590 tablets and 322.77kg of synthetic drugs; 67 packs and 81.8kg of heroin; 54.65kg of cannabis; four guns, 88 bullets, a grenade, and many other related assets and exhibits.

Local investigation police agencies are handling 2,045 cases and 2,837 defendants and abolished 73 points and 17 gathering places and are fighting 36 points and two drug-related complexities.

Influence from "Golden Triangle"

According to C04, due to the influence of the "Golden Triangle" area, it is forecast that the situation of drug crime will continue to develop, which will directly affect drug crime activities in Vietnam, especially along the Southwest border.

International and national drug crime gangs have unpredictable developments and are potentially complicated. Drug-related criminals work with more sophisticated and cunning methods and tricks, including taking advantage of loopholes in enterprise management and immigration management to hide and transport drugs.

Suspects are constantly changing methods, tricks, routes, and areas of operation and are becoming more international. Foreign and domestic people collude and take advantage of the southwestern border to bring drugs into the country.

In order to prevent drugs, the investigation police agencies for drug-related crimes in the southwestern border provinces will carry out key tasks.

Notably, the police agencies determine to further improve professional skills and areas, focusing on the investigation in five areas, drug prevention in three layers in a professional and unified direction from the ministerial level to the grassroots level, focusing on managing the situation of areas and suspects, proactively detecting and effectively fighting drug crimes on the front lines; controlling the situation, preventing drug criminals from colluding, connecting activities on the Southwest border with the areas outside the border and other routes and areas in the country, especially Ho Chi Minh City and key southern provinces in order to proactively prevent and fight drug smuggling from Cambodia to Vietnam and other countries.

In addition, the police agencies have focused on fiercely suppressing and removing inter-provincial and transnational crime from Cambodia to the Southwest border and other areas for consumption; breaking points and places where illegal drug use is organized and drug gathering places at the Vietnam – Cambodia border, arresting suspects who are wanted and hiding in the areas and overseas; solve the problem of addicts and illegal users of narcotics, preventing the increase in crimes and contributing to improving the situation and efficiency of drug prevention and control.

At the same time, the police agencies have worked with other authorities to solve problems on gambling in casinos or cockfights when Cambodia reopens border gates, casinos and cockfight rings to prevent illegal transportation of narcotics across the border.

Half a ton of drugs seized in the peak six months at the Southwest border VCN - In the peak six months of fighting drug crimes at the Southwest border, the police ...

Along with that, there is regular coordination and cooperation between C04 and the local police agencies on the whole route and with the Border Guard, Coast Guard, and Customs in anti-drugs in the border area, border gates and at sea, ensuring unification in implementing professional measures, strictly controlling people, vehicles and goods crossing the border, border gates, and border crossings at airports and seaports.