HÀ NỘI The number of drug-related cases in the first six months of this year increased by 9.46 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to the Investigation Police Department of Drug-related Crimes' statistics.

The police in co-ordination with other forces detected 11,215 cases, arresting 15,775 criminals and seizing 235kg of heroin, nearly 1.6 tonnes of synthetic drugs and 850,000 pills, and 113kg of cannabis.

The amount of seized drugs has decreased compared to the same period in 2019.

The situation was directly impacted by global and regional crimes, police said at the recent meeting on implementing the action month for drug prevention and control.

Illegal drugs in Việt Nam mainly came from overseas to be traded in the country or for transport to third localities via Việt Nam’s land, air and sea routes.

The trading and trafficking of illegal drugs, especially synthetic drugs, had sharply increased in border areas with Laos and Cambodia because it was directly affected by illegal drug production and trading from the 'Golden Triangle' area, the department said.

In the border area between Việt Nam and China, heroin was transported to China via Việt Nam.

Recently, due to the strong co-operation of Vietnamese and Chinese police forces in fighting drug crimes, the illegal trading and transportation of synthetic drugs from China to Việt Nam have decreased but remain a problem.

In June, the action month for drug prevention and control, the Investigation Police Department of Drug-related Crimes has accelerated investigations and crackdowns on drug trafficking rings on the border routes with Laos and Cambodia, and raised public awareness about the harmful consequences of taking drugs, particularly different kinds of methamphetamine. VNS