Representatives from relevant Vietnamese and Cambodian agencies had a joint working session in Da Nang on Wednesday to evaluate the results of coordination programmes in recent times, as well as to exchange experience and information, and discuss solutions to enhance the fight against cross-border drug trafficking.

In attendance at the event were Deputy National Police chief General Mak Chito in charge of anti-drug trafficking, Chief of the Cambodian Anti-Drug Department General Lek Vannak, Director of the Viet Nam Border Guard's Department of Drug-related Crime Prevention Major General Ngo Thai Dung, and Colonel Nguyen Dich Nam, the Deputy Head of the Drug Crimes Investigation Police Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security.

It was reported that, since November 2017, the 2 countries have actively implemented coordination activities to combat drug-related crimes in both border and inland areas.

Noticeably, Vietnamese border guards and the Cambodian police forces have jointly cracked down on 4 large-scale transnational drug-related cases, and seized 2.26 kg of cocaine and 32 kg of synthetic drugs in total.

In addition, the 2 countries’ concerned units have made the arrest of 12 persons involved in trafficking drugs from Cambodia into Viet Nam, and seized 39 cakes of heroin, and 30 kg and 103,000 tablets synthetic drugs.

Also at the working session, representatives from the 2 countries continued entering into coordination agreements in drug prevention and control in the coming time.

Accordingly, heed will be paid to promoting all-level periodical bilateral meetings, especially at the grassroots level, maintaining hotlines between the both sides, and enhancing the quality of bilateral exchange of information and documents on anti-drug activities.

Furthermore, joint efforts will be made to intensify the bilateral cooperation in the fight against drug-related crimes in key areas, and conduct joint intensive investigations into large-scale transnational drug trafficking cases.

Viet Nam has some of the world’s toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine face the death penalty.

The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death.