Hanoi security forces endeavour to fight drug crimes

Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi’s police and customs forces have stepped up their fight against drug crimes since the beginning of this year as international criminal rings increase drug transport to the capital by air.

According to the Hanoi Office for Drug-related Crimes Investigation (PC47), the city’s police force brought over 2,500 drug-related cases to light, arresting 3,210 people involved last year.

With so many routes used by smugglers such as roads from the northwest, northeast, northern central and southern regions, along with domestic and foreign air routes, railways and waterways, drug crimes are forecast to continue developing complicatedly in the city during 2016.

The smuggling and transport of drugs, especially methamphetamine of all kinds and in large volumes, is on the rise. Traffickers show their ever more sophisticated tricks as they collude with other crime syndicates to form trans-provincial and trans-national rings. They also trade with foreign dealers using air and postal services.

To cope with the situation, PC47 is coordinating with other forces in the city in intensifying the fight against this crime. Together with a focus on raising the efficiency and quality of crime suppression, it will closely work with the Ministry of Public Security and relevant forces like customs, post, aviation security and maritime police to prevent drugs from entering the capital by air and through postal services.

PC47 Director Colonel Nguyen Hong Ki revealed that his office will launch three or four anti-drug crackdowns this year. It will implement international cooperation in drug crime prevention under agreements signed with other countries, especially those sharing the border such as Cambodia, Laos and China, he added.

Joining police efforts in this fight, Hanoi’s customs force is strengthening drug prevention and control while disseminating images of new kinds of drug, as well as traffickers’ methods and tricks in order to prevent and detect drug cases promptly in the city.

To prevent drugs from entering Hanoi by air, the customs force has closely controlled all shipments to Noi Bai International Airport, said Tran Luong Bac, deputy head of the Noi Bai International Airport Border Gate Customs Sub-department.

These efforts have recently helped competent forces detect and seize 11,477 kg of cocaine transported from Argentina via the gate, he added.-VNA