Vietnamese, Lao police strengthen counter-narcotics cooperation

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Long and Lao Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Khamking Phuilamanivong co-chaired the meeting.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Long emphasized that the meeting created an important opportunity for the two countries’ police forces, particularly counter-narcotics units, to review the effectiveness of their recent coordination, and discuss future cooperation orientations.

According to the report presented at the meeting, on the basis of signed bilateral cooperation agreements, police units and agencies of the two countries proactively developed plans, implemented their assigned tasks, and achieved important results of the bilateral coordination.

The two sides strengthened information sharing on drug-related crime through the hotline mechanism, effectively coordinated in dismantling criminal cases and transnational crime networks, and regularly exchanged hands-on experience and professional expertise, contributing to enhancing the capacity of the police forces in drug and crime control.

During the meeting, the delegates exchanged extensive information on the criminal situation, social order and safety and drug-related crime in each country. 

They also reviewed the outcomes of the bilateral cooperation in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding signed on August 9, 2021, between the Vietnamese and Lao Ministries of Public Security on drug prevention and control.

In addition, they assessed the implementation of bilateral agreements, cooperation programs and plans, including efforts to combat human trafficking, social-order offences and drug-related crimes along the Vietnam–Laos borderline.

On this occasion, the two head delegates signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on Crime Prevention and Control and the Memorandum of Understanding on Drug Prevention and Control between the two ministries.

The two sides also discussed orientations and approaches to further improve the effectiveness of cooperation in crime prevention and control, social order and safety protection and drug-related crime prevention in the coming time.