Vietnam and Thailand convened their ninth bilateral conference on drugprevention and control cooperation in Hanoi on March 24, resolving toemploy stronger measures to work towards creating a drug-free ASEANregion.
The Vietnamese side was led by LieutenantGeneral Do Kim Tuyen, deputy head of the Ministry of Public Security’sPolice General Department for Crime Prevention and Control, whileSecretary General of the Thai Office of the Narcotics Control BoardPermpong Chaovalit headed the Thai delegation.
Reports released at the function reveal that in 2014, Vietnam uncovered19,195 drugs cases involving 28,880 suspects and seized 573.2kg ofheroin, 19.3kg of cocaine, 28.8kg of opium, 1,536kg of marijuana, and65,314 synthetic pills. A particular increase in methamphetamine abusehas been recorded among the young in big cities.
Police have witnessed drug trafficking becoming increasinglysophisticated and hard to detect, with smugglers arriving by sea, airand across land borders. They have detected five trafficking routes intothe country from the Golden Triangle, including ones passing throughthe northwestern provinces of Dien Bien and Son La, the conferenceheard.
Meanwhile, nearly 2 million of Thailand’s 60million-strong population are reported to be involved in drug use. About91 percent of drug addicts in the country are men, while 24.1 percentare aged between 20 and 24. Perhaps most worryingly, 23.1 percent ofaddicts are between 15 and 19 years old. Around 60 percent of drug usersare unemployed or do temporary work.
A large volumeof drugs from the Golden Triangle transit through Thailand to reachother destinations around the globe, reports said, adding that thecountry seizes 10 tonnes of marijuana every year despite crackdownefforts over the last couple of decades.
SinceVietnam and Thailand signed a bilateral cooperation deal on drugprevention more than 10 years ago, they have actively shared informationrelating to drug crime, with Thailand regularly sending liaisonofficers to exchange data.-VNA
The Vietnamese side was led by LieutenantGeneral Do Kim Tuyen, deputy head of the Ministry of Public Security’sPolice General Department for Crime Prevention and Control, whileSecretary General of the Thai Office of the Narcotics Control BoardPermpong Chaovalit headed the Thai delegation.
Reports released at the function reveal that in 2014, Vietnam uncovered19,195 drugs cases involving 28,880 suspects and seized 573.2kg ofheroin, 19.3kg of cocaine, 28.8kg of opium, 1,536kg of marijuana, and65,314 synthetic pills. A particular increase in methamphetamine abusehas been recorded among the young in big cities.
Police have witnessed drug trafficking becoming increasinglysophisticated and hard to detect, with smugglers arriving by sea, airand across land borders. They have detected five trafficking routes intothe country from the Golden Triangle, including ones passing throughthe northwestern provinces of Dien Bien and Son La, the conferenceheard.
Meanwhile, nearly 2 million of Thailand’s 60million-strong population are reported to be involved in drug use. About91 percent of drug addicts in the country are men, while 24.1 percentare aged between 20 and 24. Perhaps most worryingly, 23.1 percent ofaddicts are between 15 and 19 years old. Around 60 percent of drug usersare unemployed or do temporary work.
A large volumeof drugs from the Golden Triangle transit through Thailand to reachother destinations around the globe, reports said, adding that thecountry seizes 10 tonnes of marijuana every year despite crackdownefforts over the last couple of decades.
SinceVietnam and Thailand signed a bilateral cooperation deal on drugprevention more than 10 years ago, they have actively shared informationrelating to drug crime, with Thailand regularly sending liaisonofficers to exchange data.-VNA
