Preventing the "white whirlwind" in the border region.

With the determination to repel the "white whirlwind" (drug trafficking), maintain political security and social order in the border area, the Border Guard Force (BGF) of the province has always upheld a high sense of responsibility, overcome all dangers, and actively fought to dismantle many drug cases and trafficking rings, contributing to maintaining peace in the border areas of the Fatherland and the lives of the people.

Authorities are counting the seized evidence in a drug trafficking case.

In the context of the complex and evolving situation of border crimes in the province, especially drug-related crimes with their sophisticated and audacious methods, the Border Guard's anti-drug and crime prevention forces of the province consistently implement directives and resolutions from higher authorities, focusing on improving the quality and effectiveness of basic operational work, emphasizing the fight against major cases, implementing operational plans, and dismantling drug trafficking rings. They also strengthen coordination with relevant functional forces in combating and preventing drug crimes; coordinating information exchange, investigation, detection, and dismantling complex drug trafficking rings and hotspots in key areas along the border.

In 2025, the provincial Border Guard force effectively combated various types of crime, especially drug-related crimes along the border; successfully establishing and combating 4 special cases and 13 operational plans. They spearheaded and coordinated the arrest and prosecution of 231 cases involving 272 individuals, seizing 11.5 kg of heroin, 15,689 synthetic drug pills, 9.8 kg of explosives, 25 detonators, and other valuable evidence.

Typically, on November 15, 2025, as part of a high-intensity plan to combat drug crimes along the province's two border lines, the provincial Border Guard's anti-drug and crime prevention forces, in coordination with the Pù Nhi Border Guard Post, successfully dismantled a major drug trafficking ring, apprehending a suspect illegally transporting 32 blocks of heroin in the border area.

The suspect was identified as Le Tuan Hien, born in 1980, residing in Ngan Son commune, Thai Nguyen province. He confessed to being hired by an unknown man to transport the large quantity of drugs for a fee of 50 million VND. Upon being discovered and apprehended, he fiercely resisted in an attempt to escape, but using professional tactics, the Border Guard forces quickly subdued and arrested him, ensuring the absolute safety of the suspect, equipment, and weapons.

Colonel Do Ngoc Vinh, Provincial Party Committee member and Commander of the Provincial Border Guard Command, stated: "For many years, the Thanh Hoa Border Guard has strictly implemented the policies, plans, and directives of the Party Committee and the Border Guard Command regarding the fight against various types of crimes in border areas and border gates. The results are not only outstanding in combating criminal cases and arresting suspects, but also in effectively gathering intelligence, disseminating legal information, helping people understand the harmful effects of drugs, and preventing them from assisting criminals."

In key areas, the Border Guard Force has maintained models such as "Border Guard Loudspeaker," "Family Clans Self-Managing Border Areas and Boundary Markers," "Security and Order Self-Management Teams," and "Confidential Crime Reporting Mailboxes," creating a "soft shield" from the people to detect and report crimes. They have strengthened coordination with relevant agencies to effectively implement crime prevention, combat, and suppression efforts "early, from afar, and from beyond the border" according to the "three layers, four levels" principle, preventing the Thanh Hoa border from becoming a hotspot for drug trafficking. Thanks to this close coordination, many large drug trafficking rings have been dismantled in their early stages; many large-scale drug trafficking operations have been thwarted before they could penetrate deep into the interior.

Amidst the trend of comprehensive integration and opening up, the drug crime situation along the Vietnam-Laos border in general, and the Thanh Hoa - Hua Phan border in particular, continues to be complex, with increasingly sophisticated, audacious, and dangerous methods. Especially during the Lunar New Year of the Horse in 2026, it is predicted that criminals will thoroughly exploit loopholes in border management and protection by relevant agencies to increase their activities. To maintain national sovereignty and border security in the border areas of the province, the Provincial Border Guard Command will continue to comprehensively and synchronously implement measures to manage and protect the national border; focus on doing a good job in basic professional work; accurately and promptly grasp and predict the situation, especially the activities of various types of crimes in the border areas; Proactively establish special cases and vigorously combat and dismantle large-scale drug trafficking and transportation networks operating across provinces and internationally, including armed drug crimes. Resolutely prevent drugs from infiltrating from Laos across the Thanh Hoa province border into Vietnam. In addition, actively combat other types of crime such as smuggling, commercial fraud, counterfeit goods; illegal logging and exploitation of forest and land resources; and illegal immigration.

The fight against drugs on the border is a long, arduous, and dangerous one. With courage, intelligence, and a strong sense of responsibility, the Thanh Hoa Border Guard Force continues to affirm its core and specialized role in protecting sovereignty and maintaining security and order in the border region. Each successful operation is a silent victory. Each seized weapon represents a threat eliminated. Each dismantled drug trafficking ring represents a dark area pushed back. Each Border Guard officer and soldier stationed in the area is a solid "protective barrier" for the Fatherland.

Text and photos: Hoang Lan

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ngan-chan-con-loc-trang-noi-bien-vien-271382.htm