Vietnam and Laos should step up cooperation in combating illegaldrugs, an issue that has been a growing mutual concern for the twocountries for years, said Deputy Minister of Public Security Pham QuyNgo on Aug. 22.
Ngo, who is also Chairman of the NationalCommittee for Drug Control, made the comments at a reception for adelegation from the Lao National Committee for Drug Control led byChairman Soubanh Srithirath.
Ngo said that sinceagreements between the two countries were signed in 1998 and 2001,Vietnam and Laos had tightened information exchange and cooperationto curb trans-national drug rings. There had also been many discussionson ways to better fight drug trafficking at border areas considered ascrime ‘hot spots'.
"Increased co-operation has really helped in uncovering drug trafficking rings between Vietnam and Laos ," Ngo said.
For his part, Soubanh Srithirath expressed his hope that Vietnam ,which had about 20 years of experience in fighting drug crimes, wouldshare their experiences in the field with Laos , which had beendeveloping its anti-drugs operations for two years.
DeputyGeneral Director of the Crime Control Department Vu Hung Vuong saiddrug trafficking in the ‘golden triangle' between Vietnam, Laos andThailand was still a complicated challenge, especially in the north-westregion.
More than 9,700 cases of crimes were detected and2,000kg of heroin, 22kg of marijuana and 180,000 ecstasy tablets wereseized in the first half of this year.
The VietnameseGovernment plans to spend 3 trillion VND (144 million USD) on drugprevention and control in the upcoming time.
A conferencebetween Vietnam , Laos and Thailand will be organised inNovember to combat drug crimes along the East-West Economic Corridor./.
Ngo, who is also Chairman of the NationalCommittee for Drug Control, made the comments at a reception for adelegation from the Lao National Committee for Drug Control led byChairman Soubanh Srithirath.
Ngo said that sinceagreements between the two countries were signed in 1998 and 2001,Vietnam and Laos had tightened information exchange and cooperationto curb trans-national drug rings. There had also been many discussionson ways to better fight drug trafficking at border areas considered ascrime ‘hot spots'.
"Increased co-operation has really helped in uncovering drug trafficking rings between Vietnam and Laos ," Ngo said.
For his part, Soubanh Srithirath expressed his hope that Vietnam ,which had about 20 years of experience in fighting drug crimes, wouldshare their experiences in the field with Laos , which had beendeveloping its anti-drugs operations for two years.
DeputyGeneral Director of the Crime Control Department Vu Hung Vuong saiddrug trafficking in the ‘golden triangle' between Vietnam, Laos andThailand was still a complicated challenge, especially in the north-westregion.
More than 9,700 cases of crimes were detected and2,000kg of heroin, 22kg of marijuana and 180,000 ecstasy tablets wereseized in the first half of this year.
The VietnameseGovernment plans to spend 3 trillion VND (144 million USD) on drugprevention and control in the upcoming time.
A conferencebetween Vietnam , Laos and Thailand will be organised inNovember to combat drug crimes along the East-West Economic Corridor./.
