The national fight against drug crimes has made significant strides this year, said a workshop that brought together representatives of relevant southern agencies in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on Sept. 24.

The Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) has since early this year launched many aggressive anti-drug operations, helping to detect over 8,300 cases involving more than 11,900 criminals.

Some 188 kg of heroin, nearly 20 kg of opium, 372 kg of dried marijuana and a sizable amount of fresh marijuana, synthetic narcotics and addictive pharmaceuticals have been seized and destroyed.

Working together, the police force, the border guard, the coast guard and the customs force have all actively contributed to the fight against drug crimes.

According to the MoPS Standing Office on Drug Control, drug crimes related to foreigners in Vietnam have become more complicated.

There has been an alarming rise in cases where drug criminals have coerced female Vietnamese tourists who are travelling outside the country into bringing heroin back to Vietnam in return for money. The heroin, if successfully brought into the country, will later be smuggled to a third country.

Tracking the heroin trade has become especially hard for anti-drug forces across the country as criminals become more sophisticated in camouflaging the drug, such as hiding it in the soles of shoes, sandals, buttons or in the linings of suitcases./.