The drugs seized in a case uncovered by HCM City police (Photo courtesy of HCM City police)
HCM City (VNA) – Police of Ho Chi Minh Cityseized the largest-ever volume of drugs and uncovered a big number ofsophisticated and transnational drug rings in 2019.
Last year, the municipal police seized 356kg ofheroin, 1.36 tonnes of synthetic drugs, 5.8kg of cocaine, 40.8kg of marijuana,and more than 39kg of other drug types. They also dealt with nearly 4,000people involved in drug trading, storage and transportation.
Notably, on March 27, 2019, police detained ChenTsen Wei (born in 1986) and seized 895 heroin bricks while this Taiwanese nationalwas driving a truck near the An Suong roundabout in Trung My Tay ward ofDistrict 12. This is the biggest amount of heroin caught red-handed in Vietnamso far.
Probing into this case, police found that Chenwas part of a transnational ring led by Yu Chi Fu, a Taiwanese born in 1953. Upto 446 heroin bricks were discovered on November 3 when police searched fivesuspected locations in the suburbs of HCM City.
The drugs were found to have been traffickedfrom Cambodia to Vietnam and then hidden in containers of goods to be shippedto Taiwan (China) by sea.
In April, police also uncovered 1.1 tonnes ofsynthetic drugs trafficked by Chiang Wei Chih and Yeh Ching Wei of Taiwan andtheir accomplices. This is also the biggest-ever amount of synthetic drugseized in a case.
For 2020, the HCM City Department of PublicSecurity said it will enhance coordination with relevant agencies and ramp upactions to prevent and control drug crimes while taking measures to curb the increasein the number of drug addicts.
Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam askedlocal police to crack down on trans-provincial and transnational drug rings aswell as drug hot spots, increase the examination of restaurants and bars, andenhance resident management to prevent the formation of communities of illegalresidents which may lead to law violations.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the municipal PartyCommittee Nguyen Thien Nhan said drug fight is an urgent and also regular andlong-term task that requires persistence, drastic actions, high determinationand close coordination among all-level authorities, sectors and socio-politicalorganisations./.
Border guards in the central province of Quang Binh said they busted a Lao drug gang for attempting to smuggle 60,000 meth pills into Vietnam, in a joint operation with Lao authorities on January 7.
Acting Administrator of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Uttam Dhillon has been working with relevant Vietnamese agencies to fight transnational drug trafficking.
According to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC), this year’s campaign provided long-term aid for 3,785 individuals and organisations. Support included houses, clean water systems, school meal facilities, books, and livelihood assistance, with a total value of more than 118 billion VND.
The programmes have brought about positive changes to rural infrastructure, comprehensively improved the material and spiritual lives of farmers, and contributed to Vietnam's economic restructuring, said PM Pham Minh Chinh.
The festival highlighted the contributions and robust development of Vietnam's revolutionary press over the past century while promoting press products and showcasing the creativity of Vietnamese journalists.
The programme on sustainable poverty reduction has achieved its annual targets for reducing the poverty rate as assigned by the National Assembly and the Government. It has fulfilled five specific objectives and five five-year goals, and met nine out of 12 indicators related to addressing basic social service shortages.
UNICEF stands ready to support the Government in implementing this important law and in continuing to invest in teachers as the cornerstone of a resilient, inclusive, and high-quality education system for all children.
PM Pham Minh Chinh highlighted how Vietnam's revolutionary press has continuously evolved and strengthened over the past century, affirming its role as a sharp and vital political, cultural, and ideological weapon serving the Fatherland and the people in the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party.
Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Chi Mai highlighted the growing demand for Vietnamese workers in Kyushu, especially in Fukuoka, Oita, and Saga prefectures. Currently, the region employs about 35,000 Vietnamese manual workers and over 5,000 IT engineers.
In Vietnam’s case, she said, President Ho Chi Minh demonstrated his strategic vision by founding the revolutionary press a century ago. The late leader understood the press's role not only as a means to reflect the country’s realities but also as a powerful tool to strengthen national unity and inspire the resistance wars and national construction process.
In recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters in Mexico, prominent figures reflected on the press’s legacy and its global influence.
VietnamPlus e-newspaper of the VNA clinched an A prize in the “Outstanding Press Product” category for its immersive 3D multimedia project, “Epic of Reunification,” a groundbreaking blend of storytelling and technology. The VNA won another A prize for its eye-catching exhibition booth.
Today, the press for foreign service has evolved into a distinct, irreplaceable force, bridging Vietnam with the world and portraying a nation that is stable, peace-loving, and fully integrated into the international community.
At a review conference held on June 21, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh praised the province’s scientific, coordinated, and flexible approach. He noted that the early completion reflects the strong commitment of local authorities, the business community, philanthropists, and residents in improving housing conditions for disadvantaged groups.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The drugs seized in a case uncovered by HCM City police (Photo courtesy of HCM City police) 
