Son La province combats drug trafficking at the grassroots level.

Son La is a mountainous province with a large area, complex and fragmented terrain, uneven population distribution, and a long border with Laos, which creates favorable conditions for socio-economic development but also poses a potential risk of various types of crime, especially drug-related crimes.

Forestry officials in Son La province are coordinating efforts to raise awareness and encourage residents of Muong Bang commune to stop replanting opium poppies.

The province has consistently implemented many comprehensive and decisive solutions, creating a clear transformation in the work of drug prevention and control.

On November 11, 2021, the Standing Committee of the Son La Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No. 18-NQ/TU on strengthening leadership and guidance in drug prevention and control work for the period 2021-2025. This is considered an important milestone, demonstrating the high political determination of the Provincial Party Committee in proactively preventing, combating, and gradually pushing back drug abuse, maintaining political stability and social order and safety, and creating a foundation for sustainable development.

According to Tong The Anh, Secretary of the Party Committee of To Hieu Ward: “Immediately after the resolution was issued, Party committees, government agencies, the Fatherland Front , and political and social organizations in the province quickly concretized it with programs and action plans suitable to each locality and field. In particular, the Ward's Steering Committee for Drug Prevention and Control was also reorganized and operates in an orderly manner; the responsibility of the leader is emphasized, considering this a regular and continuous task.”

One of the key highlights of the locality is focusing on disseminating information and laws on drug prevention and control; considering this a fundamental solution, a proactive step. During the 2021-2025 period, relevant departments and agencies have chaired and coordinated the organization of orientation conferences for propaganda; disseminating laws directly at the grassroots level, focusing on key areas, remote areas, and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities where the risk of drug abuse remains. In particular, the 2021 Law on Drug Prevention and Control has been implemented simultaneously in 100% of agencies, units, schools, communes, wards, towns, villages, and sub-districts. In addition, the provincial and commune levels have organized conferences to disseminate information to 211 key officials; the content of the propaganda has been flexibly integrated into conferences, training courses, Party branch meetings, and socio-cultural activities to make it easily accessible, understandable, and implementable for officials, Party members, and the people.

Along with propaganda, the province also focuses on building and replicating drug prevention models at the grassroots level, linked to the "All People Protect National Security" movement and the construction of "drug-free communes and wards". The signing of commitments to implement the "four no's" regarding drugs has been implemented in every household, every village, and every sub-district, creating a sense of community responsibility. In particular, Son La organized 245 mobile court sessions to try 289 defendants in key areas, contributing to deterring and preventing crime and raising public awareness of law compliance.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Dinh Viet stated: The locality has successfully removed 29 communes from the list of key drug hotspots, exceeding the set target; 55 communes have achieved the "drug-free" standard, an increase of 27 communes compared to 2020. Based on the orientation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TU, the province has issued many specific plans, projects, mechanisms, and policies; prioritizing the allocation of resources with an average budget of approximately 110 billion VND/year for drug prevention and control, from propaganda and suppression to rehabilitation and management of drug addicts.

During the period 2021-2025, law enforcement agencies launched numerous intensive campaigns to combat and suppress drug crimes, dismantling many large drug trafficking rings and groups. As a result, they detected and arrested nearly 6,000 cases and over 7,600 offenders; seized 158.8 kg of heroin, 27.7 kg of opium, over 2.5 million synthetic drug pills, and 95.4 kg of other drugs. They also confiscated 48 firearms and 608 rounds of ammunition; verified, arrested, or persuaded 82 wanted drug offenders to surrender; eradicated over 4,950 m² of land planted with drug-containing plants, and seized 3,570 opium poppy plants...

Colonel Pham Thai Hoa, Head of the Operations Department of the Provincial Border Guard Command, reported: A highlight in the local anti-drug efforts is the strengthening of international cooperation, especially with the northern provinces of Laos. The functional forces of both sides have coordinated surveys of 28 high-risk drug trafficking routes; directly coordinated the arrest of 39 cases involving 54 individuals and 8 wanted fugitives hiding in Laos. The implementation of three-layer prevention plans (border-inland-post-rehabilitation) has helped to tightly control the supply source, prevent the formation of new hotspots, and contribute to maintaining security and order in the border area.

Along with combating and suppressing drug abuse, the province places special emphasis on drug rehabilitation and management of drug addicts and illegal drug users, identifying this as a long-term solution. Voluntary and compulsory rehabilitation, as well as methadone and buprenorphine replacement therapy, are implemented according to the conditions of each facility; post-rehabilitation management in the community is gradually becoming more effective. To date, Son La has classified 145 communes, wards, and towns, including 55 drug-free units, 12 drug-affected units, 51 key units of type III, 27 key units of type II, and no longer any key areas of type I. At the village and sub-district level, there are 1,353 drug-free units, accounting for 59%.

After more than five years of implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TU, drug prevention and control work in Son La has seen significant and comprehensive changes. The results achieved are not only reflected in the numbers and cases handled, but also in the shift in awareness and responsibility of the entire political system and the people. This is an important foundation for the province to continue maintaining border security, protecting the peaceful lives of the people, and creating momentum for socio-economic development in the new phase.

Text and photos: QUOC TUAN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/son-la-phong-chong-ma-tuy-tu-co-so-post945270.html