An official from the Na Hinh Border Guard Station delivers leaflets about heroin prevention and control to residents in Thanh Long commune, Van Lang distrrict, the northern mountainous province of Lang Son (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) –Drug-trafficking at Vietnam’s borders continues to be a major issue, causinglaw enforcement officers to grow increasingly concerned.
Nearly 21,471drug-trafficking cases were reported in 2017, up 14.5 percent from2016, according to a report on collaboration among the Police GeneralDepartment, the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDC), Vietnam BorderGuard High Command and Vietnam Coast Guard.
Some 32,950 suspects weredetained, a 13.6 per cent increase over 2016’s figure.
Statistics from the VietnamBorder Guard showed that the amount of synthetic drugs and marijuanaseized last year through the border of Vietnam and Laos respectively increasedseven times and twice compared with 2016.
Cocaine was transported fromSouth America to Cambodia and transferred to Vietnam along the Vietnam-Cambodiaborder.
Vu Xuan Vien, head of the PoliceAdvisory Force under the Ministry of Public Security, attributed the prevalenceof drug-trafficking cases to inadequate coordination between police,border guard, customs and coast guard forces.
The sharing of informationrelating to suspects and a shortage of forces on duty at key points poseschallenges to anti-trafficking work.
Nguyen Khanh Quang, deputyhead of the anti-smuggling investigation department under the GeneralDepartment of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) acknowledged the problem, tellingthe Hai Quan (Custom) newspaper that several cases have beenreferred by the GDVC to the police for clarification. However, resolving thesecases took a long time, causing concerns for enterprises.
Some local police delayed oreven refused to provide information or evidence in many cases, he said.
In the meantime, as a rule,within 24 hours of detecting an incident, customs officers have to finish allprocedures and hand information over to local police.
The lack of clear regulationson which police force will receive information and evidence from customs unitswas also a hindrance.
“The biggest difficulty forthe customs force is that they don’t have the authority to investigate drugtrafficking cases or criminally charge violator,” Quang said.
Predicting that cross-bordercrimes relating to drugs would become complicated and rise in the near future,Vien said leaders of police, customs, border guards and coast guard forcesshould work together more regularly.
It was necessary to create acollaboration mechanism to fight drug trafficking at borders and at sea, hesaid.
Each force should take theinitiative in setting plans, assigning duties to each officer and work togetherin investigation cases on key routes, particularly from Golden Triangle,covering Laos.
Vien proposed that forcesshould collaborate with local governments in teaching residents to recognisethe harm of drugs, obey laws against drug trafficking crimes and not to takepart in drug-trafficking rings.
To improve the efficiency ofdrug prevention and anti-smuggling efforts, Quang suggested strengtheningcollaboration between the Police General Department and General Department ofVietnam Customs.
It was necessary to reviewthe operations and training courses should be held regularly to enhance officers’professional skills, he said.
Quang also proposed thePolice General Department include a regulation on protecting national securityin collaboration between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of PublicSecurity.-VNA
VNA
