Ho Chi Minh City (VNS/VNA) - Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have set a goal of making the entire metropolis drug free by 2030, launching a broad push that combines law enforcement, community prevention programmes and tighter monitoring of trafficking networks.
The target was outlined in a report reviewing the implementation of the national drug prevention strategy and the city’s anti-drug programme for the 2021–2025 period.
Under the plan, every commune, ward or residential area is expected to meet official drug-free standards by the end of 2029, while schools, hospitals, government offices, businesses and social organisations across the city are to remain free of drug activity.
City officials say police have made progress in recent years, uncovering several large trafficking cases and dismantling networks operating across provinces and internationally. But authorities also warn that the problem is evolving.
Traffickers are increasingly using technology to hide their operations, relying on anonymous online transactions, electronic payments and cryptocurrencies to move money.
Drugs are also being smuggled through a range of channels, including air travel, maritime shipping and postal services.
At the same time, the use of synthetic and mixed drugs is rising, particularly among young people. Drug use is also shifting into private spaces, such as apartments and houses, making it harder for authorities to detect.
City officials say tackling the problem will require more than policing alone. Prevention campaigns, community initiatives and rehabilitation programmes are being expanded in an effort to discourage drug use and support people recovering from addiction.
Short-term targets have already been set. By the end of 2026, around 30% of commune-level areas and at least 30% of neighbourhoods and residential communities are expected to meet drug-free standards.
Authorities also aim to ensure that all schools, health care facilities, businesses and government agencies remain free of drugs.
The city plans to tighten oversight of businesses handling chemical precursors and controlled medicines that could be diverted into drug production.
Investigators are also watching for cases in which drugs are disguised as consumer products like health supplements or beverages.
Because many trafficking networks operate across borders, the city will strengthen cooperation with foreign counterparts and with provinces along the border with Cambodia.
City officials say the overall strategy combines enforcement, prevention and community participation, intending to gradually push the drug trade out of neighbourhood life in the country’s largest city./.
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