Laos police resolved over 3,500 drug cases nationwide last year
MORE than 3,500 drug-related cases were solved across the country and a large amount of illegal drugs was seized by police during 2021.
Details about the cases were reported at a meeting for Lao-Thai Drug Prevention Cooperation that was held in Vientiane recently.
Speaking at the meeting, the Secretary General of the Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision, Colonel Inpong Chanthavongsa, said authorities in Laos implemented various legal measures and were able to solve a total of 3,730 drugrelated cases in 2021.
A total of 5,217 people were detained in connection with these cases, including 509 women and 119 foreigners.
Police seized 467.795 kg of heroin, 143,007,700 methamphetamine tablets, 2,990,960 kg of crystal methamphetamine (Ice), 18,845 kg of opium, 5,846.698 kg of cannabis and 19,480.330 kg of powder.
He said the Lao government is committed to the issue of tackling narcotics trafficking. “Over the past year, we have been able to record many achievements,” he said.
Laos has been closely cooperating with neighbouring countries and the region in the fight against illicit drugs, especially along the Mekong river and in the Golden Triangle area under the “Safe Mekong Operation” and “Operation Golden Triangle 1511”.
In 2020, the six member countries of the Safe Mekong Drug Control Operation Plan for 2019-2022 participated in “Operation Plan 1511” to enhance the suppression of drugs in the Golden Triangle.
As part of their continuing cooperation, member countries agreed on “Operation Plan 1511/21” to tackle the problem of drugs in the Golden Triangle during 2021 by using new approaches.
The Operation Plan 1511 included Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and China.
The target areas of the Safe Mekong Operation Plan within Laos include the provinces of Luang Namtha, Bokeo, Phongsaly, Xiang Khuang, Huaphan, Xayaboury, Vientiane, Borikhamxai, Khammuan, Savannakhet, Saravan and Champassak.
The six member countries have also agreed to implement six procedures aimed at the suppression of drugs, chemicals and precursors.
The member countries will support the establishing and strengthening of land route checkpoints and border checkpoints in target areas at risk of the illicit trafficking of drugs, precursors and chemicals in order to help contain and encircle atrisk land routes. This will be done taking into account the areas of high significance as a priority.
The drug problem has been expanding in urban and rural areas of Laos, with many youngsters becoming addicted to drugs. This has, in turn, led to social ills and crimes, including robbery and even murder.