Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has directed ministries, sectors and localities to deploy drastic measures to combat all kinds of crime.

At a teleconference hosted by the 138/CP Steering Committee on crime prevention on January 3, Deputy PM Phuc, who is also head of the committee, held that the efficiency of crime fighting and prevention has been low.

He pointed out that crimes and criminals are increasing, while State management in the field has not been tightened in some areas.

He mentioned the incompetence of anti-crime officials as one of the reasons behind the problem, adding that some guiding documents in the field have not been timely realised.

In the coming time, ministries, sectors and localities should focus on building and implementing a national strategy on crime prevention and combat for the 2015-2025 period with orientations for 2030, thus ensuring social security and order, he said.

The Deputy PM also instructed ministries, sectors and localities to control the rise in crime, especially in 18 hot spots of social disorder and 10 localities with serious problems in organised crime.

He also underscored the need to improve the quality and efficiency of investigations and crime handling, while strengthening the Government’s management of traffic safety and order, weapons and explosives.

Particularly, all localities should effectively launch strong campaigns against crime, especially during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, the country’s largest festive season.

According to Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang, last year, the country saw 59,000 social disturbance cases, up 5.03 percent over 2012. The ministry uncovered over 12,000 economic violation cases and nearly 450 corruption cases.

The police also detected more than 18,000 drug-related cases, up 500 cases from 2012 and arrested over 28,000 drug-related criminals, seizing 641.29 kilograms of heroin, 110.18 kilograms and 255,300 tablets of meth, he noted.

In 2013, public security forces of all levels cracked down on 44,000 criminal cases, razing over 2,600 criminal gangs and organisations, while uncovering 13,000 environmental protection violations.

Minister Quang also admitted that the crime situation is still complicated. Criminals using explosives are still challenging authorities in many localities. Meanwhile, the number of human trafficking cases remains high. As many as 500 cases involving nearly 700 individuals and 1,000 victims were detected in 2013.

Participants at the conference also agreed that the engagement of the whole political system is crucial to minimising the increase of crime.-VNA