The war against drugs at the “hot” border region

Mùa A Hồng was arrested. Photo: Điện Biên Customs

In the recent mission at Dien Bien, correspondent has a chance to meet the officer of the Anti-drugs Enforcement Team (Dien Bien Customs Department) – the unit has participated in many drug cases in the local area. Mr Dao Ngoc Son, team leader of Anti-drug Enforcement Team, remembers clearly all the details related to each drugs case such as name, age, address of drugs trafficker. For example, the drugs cases of subject Mua A Hong (lived in Nam Po District, Dien Bien) transported nearly 24.000 ecstacy tablets and 5 heroin packs. The person was arrested by Customs force coordinated with other force on August 31, 2016. According to the received information, Hong is well known as a drugs dealer because he made many transactions with some people in Laos (Mong ethic in Phong Sa Ly, Laos). Furthermore, due to lack of money to buy a car Hong decided to do “big case”. Therefore, after receiving a big deal, Hong immediately called for some partners in Laos in order to find the way for transporting across the border. In order to hide from the functional forces, Hong used a motorbike to drive over 100km in the forest from Nam Po district to the footpath at Tay Trang Border Gate. After meeting with the Laos partner and agreed on drugs price, quantity, the Laos person went back to Laos in the other way which followed the footpath near 49 milestones of Nam Po District to take the cargo.

In the last day of August and early September 2016, Customs officers, Police officers and Border Guard was quite busy in the preparation for big combat. A secret Special Project Team No 816 was established with the participation of dozens of officers and soldiers. After several meetings, one team was sent to inspect and follow the track of the crime. The other team was ready to back up and support to the team if any fight happened.

The truth is gradually revealed. The Laos subjects carried cargo across the border and handed over to Hong. The amount of money for the successful transportation was 40 million VND. As planned, Hong directly contacted and delivered the cargo at a bridge located in the Nam Po District (the bridge is located in one side is a mountain and one side is deep). However, Hong does not appear.

The evidence. Photo: Điện Biên Customs.

It seems like the mission fails but the force received a report, Hong will make deliveries in a guesthouses in Nam Po district. The time was ripe, the night of August 31^st 2016, Hong delivered the cargo as an appointment. Receiving a signal, functional forces secretly approached the scene, led to a sudden catch, Hong was unable to respond. Inspecting at the spot, the force seized on Hong’s person a long sharp knife, and five cakes of heroin and nearly 24,000 tablets of synthetic drugs.

Not stopping there, continuing to expand investigation, a group of smugglers in Dien Bien on the "radar" of forces function as regular contact with people in Moc Chau, Son La. This group has wide operations, and does not follow a certain rule - difficult for functional forces on duty. However, in the direction of Special Project Team, along with the deployment of synchronous operation measures, the function forces "took-haul" at all costs. After receiving information, the person prepared to transport a big quantity of drugs from Son La to Dien Bien, the Special Project Team planned and decided to clear the case.

The inspected team was ready for action and stationed in positions. At 7:30 AM on September 7^th 2016, two perpetrators: Lo Thi Xuan and Dam Hong Quan drove cars to Motel United Board (located at No. 239, under the organization Vo Nguyen Giap, 11, Him Lam ward, dist. Dien Bien Phu). Car stopped, only Xuan alighted and holding a pink plastic bag entered the motel, where Lo Van Cuong awaiting pickup. This time, an attempt to distract the investigation of functional forces, Quan decided to turn the car moved into the city center for waiting. After 5 minutes, Xuan came out from the hotel. Immediately the Special Project Team directed 3 teams to control Xuan at the door, caught Cuong on the roof and dominated Quan at the square. At rooms 203, the function force collected 6 heroin packs . Continuously, checking cars controlled by Quan, the force seized more plastic bags containing 1,188 tablets of ecstacy and 2 heroin.

To successfully clear the case, it just not just stop at the drugs traficking line in the large-scale drug but also the forces discovered and cut off drug smuggling route from Son La-Dien Bien, Lao Cai-China.