Thanh Hoa (VNA) – Eight provinces of Vietnam and Laos attended a conference in Vietnam’scentral Thanh Hoa province on October 18 to consolidate their cooperation infighting drug crime.
At the conference,representatives from Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Son La and Dien Bien of Vietnam, andHouphanh, Luang Prabang, Phongsaly and Xiengkhouang of Laos signed a Memorandumof Understanding on cooperation in preventing and fighting drug crime.
Under the document,the localities pledge to boost economic development and ensuresecurity-national defence in border areas, and increase mutual visits, sharingof experience and joint training activities among drug control officials.
The sides also agreeto coordinate in large-scale anti-drug campaigns along their shared border, aswell as in investing major drug crimes.
Addressing the conference,Chairman of Thanh Hoa People’s Committee Nguyen Dinh Xung said the cooperationamong the eight provinces has produced noteworthy results, including theelimination of many cross-border trafficking rings.
During one year fromSeptember 2017, the eight provinces discovered 4,299 drug crimes with 5,673suspects, seizing 554.5 kg of heroin, more than 3.33 million pills and 358kg ofsynthetic drug, 174 kg of meth, 282 kg of opium and 102 guns of varioustypes.-VNA