On the front line of the fight against drug crime

From the beginning of June 2023, along with the whole country, Lao Cai Provincial Police entered the peak month of fighting against drugs, thereby achieving many positive results.

Step up the eradication of opium poppies in the highlands

In Sa Pa town, somewhere the "ghost" of opium still exists, the plant with "deadly beautiful" flowers called poppies is still secretly grown by some people, causing anxiety for society.

Lieutenant Colonel Vu Duc Sinh, Head of the General Investigation Team of Sa Pa Town Police, said: After a long period of time without opium poppies in Sa Pa, recently, the police force has continuously discovered a number of people secretly growing this plant. To avoid detection by the authorities, people have grown opium poppies mixed with vegetables in their home gardens or on high mountains, in areas bordering other localities.

On March 23, 2023, Trung Chai Commune Police discovered that Ma Thi Phinh's garden had 1,876 opium poppy seedlings, of which nearly 200 had fruit. Upon inspection, Ma Thi Phinh declared that all of the above plants were opium poppies that she had planted since the end of 2022 and voluntarily handed over a piece of bamboo with brown resin (which, upon examination, was 3.87 grams of opium resin).

At 8:00 a.m. on April 13, 2023, at Group 4, Sa Pa Ward, Sa Pa Ward Police coordinated with the Investigation Team of Sa Pa Town Police to inspect and discover at the house of Ly A Giang, born in 1990, 12 bundles of opium poppy fruits and branches, with a total weight of about 6.1 kg. Through investigation, Giang confessed that he and Thao A Dinh, born in 1998, had cut the opium poppy fruits and branches in the forest area of Bao Thang District, brought them back and hid them, waiting to sell them for money...

Since the beginning of 2022, Sa Pa Town Police have investigated and handled 3 cases of large-scale opium cultivation with 3 defendants, seized more than 4,400 opium plants; discovered and administratively punished many cases of people growing opium on a small scale.

Not only Sa Pa town, in the mountainous district of Bac Ha, from the beginning of 2023 until now, the district police have discovered and handled 6 cases of people illegally growing opium poppies, seizing 882 opium poppies. Previously, in 2022, Bac Ha district police discovered and handled 3 cases of illegal opium poppies growing in Lung Phinh commune and Thai Giang Pho commune, seizing 845 opium poppies...

Successfully fight major projects

Lieutenant Colonel Do Manh Tien, Head of the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department of the Provincial Police, said: Along with stepping up the inspection and destruction of opium poppies in the highlands, in recent times, the police force in the province has stepped up the fight and destroyed many major cases of illegal drug trafficking and possession.

Specifically, in 2022, the provincial police's professional units seized 130 kg of various drugs, an increase of 66.5 kg compared to the previous year, including 80 kg of heroin; nearly 50 kg of synthetic drugs; 28,000 opium plants and opium fruits; nearly 5 kg of marijuana; and many other exhibits. Since the beginning of 2023, the provincial police have cracked down on nearly 30 drug cases, arrested more than 40 subjects; seized 23 kg of heroin (65 heroin cakes); 5 kg and 35,000 synthetic drug pills; 76.6 kg of opium branches, plants, and fruits, and many other exhibits.

There were major drug cases such as on April 13, 2023, in Tan Duong commune (Bao Yen), the police arrested 2 subjects Giang Thi Chu and Hoang Co, seized 14 heroin cakes, expanded the investigation to arrest 3 more subjects, seized 15,000 synthetic drug pills; 2.7 kg of opium and 103 million VND. On May 22, 2023, in Ban Phiet commune (Bao Thang), the police arrested Phang Seo So, seized 10 heroin cakes...

Lieutenant Colonel Do Manh Tien added: From the results of the fight against drugs, it can be seen that the situation of crimes of buying, selling, transporting, and illegally storing drugs is becoming more and more complicated, especially after the Covid-19 epidemic was controlled. In the coming time, the Provincial Police and localities will continue to carry out peak campaigns to attack, suppress, and repel drug crimes in particular and all types of crimes in general, contributing to maintaining peace in society.

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