Police in Lai Châu province busted more than 150 drug cases in the first six months of the year, seizing more than 12.3kg of drugs. Photo for illustration. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Thủy

LAI CHÂU — Police in the northern mountain province of Lai Châu have busted 151 drug related cases in the first six months of this year.

They also seized more than 12.3kg of drugs, nearly 3,000 opium poppies and arrested 183 traffickers, vietnamplus.vn reported

In June alone, the action month for drug prevention and control, the police busted 62 cases and captured 66 drug traffickers.

Although the provincial anti-drug forces have made great efforts to fight against drug trafficking, there has still been an increase.

Colonel Bùi Gia Lượt, deputy director of Lai Châu Province Police, said the high profits from illegal trading, limited awareness within ethnic minorities and low economic conditions of local residents were the reasons for the rise.

Drug traffickers often take advantage of the terrain with mountains and borders between Việt Nam and neighbouring countries to transport drugs, he said.

He said in the future, police will continue to set out solutions, work closely with domestic and foreign agencies and raise public awareness about the issue, especially among students and young people.

On Wednesday, police in the northern border province of Lào Cai have arrested two men accused of smuggling 3.5kg of heroin.

Sen. Lieut. Colonel Đỗ Tuấn Sơn, head of Lào Cai city’s police division, said on Wednesday the men are Sùng A Nhìa, born in 1987 and residing in Nậm Chua Commune, Nậm Bồ District, northern Điện Biên Province, and Thào Seo Sử, born in 1990 and residing in Sín Chéng Commune, Si Ma Cai District, Lào Cai Province.
The police arrested the pair in Lào Cai city, and found the drugs in their backpacks.
The men confessed that they bought the heroin from China and intended to sell it for VNĐ1.5 billion (US$64,500).
In June, Lào Cai’s police also caught three men who illegally transported 16 bricks of heroin in Mường Khương District.
This was an inter-provincial and trans-national drug trafficking ring from Laos to the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk, and via Lào Cai to China. — VNS