Mekong sub-regional countries unite to combat drug trafficking
The Narcotics Investigation Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security held a meeting in Hanoi on April 6 to review the operation of the Safe Mekong Coordination Centre (SMCC), which has been set up in all countries in the Mekong sub-region as part of their joint efforts to fight drug trafficking.
Hanoi (VNA) – The NarcoticsInvestigation Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security held ameeting in Hanoi on April 6 to review the operation of the Safe MekongCoordination Centre (SMCC), which has been set up in all countries in theMekong sub-region as part of their joint efforts to fight drug trafficking.
Addressing the event, Major General NguyenVan Vien, head of the department said that countries in the Mekong sub-regionare working hard together to fight drug crimes.
He underlined that Vietnam always pays great attentions to strengthening cooperationwith regional countries to effectively implement the Sub-Regional Action Plan(SAP) on Drug Control.
Last year, Vietnamese anti-drug police raided23,952 cases involving 36,126 suspects, seizing 741.78 kilos of heroin, 1,857.57kilos and over 3.68 million tablets of meths, 105.33 kilos of opium and 268.03 kilosof cannabis.
Many drug trafficking rings with large caches of narcotics of all kinds were detected by police of Cambodia, Thailand,Laos, China and Myanmar, he said.
Participants approved an SAP on Drug Controlfor the 2023-2027 period comprising five key solutions, including carrying outjoint drug crime combat campaign and cracking down on drug-related crimes on roads,rivers and along borders.
Participants pose for a group photo (Source: VNA)
The safe Mekong cooperation mechanism initiative was co-initiated by China andThailand in 2013, and Vietnam officially joined the campaign in 2019.
So far, all six Mekong sub-regionalcountries have established and alternately chaired the activities of the SMCC.This year, Vietnam is taking the role of the chair of the SMCC and has invited officials from all member countries to work at its SMCC from February 7 to April 9./.
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At the event (Photo: VNA) 
Participants pose for a group photo (Source: VNA) 
