Prevention of drug trafficking along Vietnam - Laos border

Son La is currently the most dangerous spot in the Vietnam-Lao drug trafficking area. Colonel Tran Anh Tuan - Director of Son La Police department - said: "Drug traffickers take advantage of the close relations between family members and relatives to create a network of drug trafficking throughout the border. If they're caught, they'll fight back with weapons, so we need a better strategy".

Drug traffickers have moved their operations from the northwest region to the central, highlands and Cambodian border. Vietnam and Laos authorities have proposed establishing drug control stations across the Vietnam-Laos border.

"We need to have our police force follow big cases and identify the key persons in each case. We need to assign police officers to stay in specific areas to follow the traffickers", Colonel Kham Hung - Deputy Director General of Laos department of Police, Lao Ministry of Security - said.

"Drug traffickers have become more dangerous and employ more complicated strategies, while expanding their areas of operation. Key people in the drug trafficking ring hide themselves very well. There are areas along the Vietnam-Laos border that are very difficult to access", Lieutenant General Dang Dai Loc - Deputy Director General of General Department of Police, Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam - said.

People living along the Vietnam - Laos border are advised not to participate in the drug trafficking network. If found guilty, they will be punished by the law.