Hanoi (VNA) – Ministers of some Asian countriesand representatives of organisations pledged to promote bilateral, regional andinternational cooperation in combating drug crime in a joint statement issuedat a meeting in Hanoi on September 10.

The ministerial meeting on enhancing theeffectiveness of cooperation in fighting transnational drug crime was held inHanoi at the initiative of the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security. Itattracted nearly 200 delegates from Cambodia, Laos, China, Thailand, Myanmar,the Philippines, Vietnam, the US’ Drug Enforcement Administration, theAustralian Federal Police, and the Regional Office of Southeast Asia and thePacific of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

In their joint statement, the participantsaffirmed that they will boost bilateral, regional and international cooperationin the work by sharing information, maintaining and expanding projects andprogrammes, providing technical assistance, and building capacity so as to dealwith regional and global drug matters in a more effective manner.

The countries and organisations will alsoconsider launching crackdowns on drug crime and coordinate with each other tofight transnational drug rings in the countries in order to prevent drug crimein Southeast Asia and prevent the drug market from growing in the world,according to the statement.

At a press conference following the meeting,Colonel Vu Van Hau, deputy head of the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security’spolice department for drug crime investigation, said data of the UNODC showedthat the number of methamphetamine trafficking cases uncovered in East andSoutheast Asia rose 8-fold between 2007 and 2017, reaching 82 tonnes andaccounting for 45 percent of all such cases around the globe. 

The seized meth in the region was estimated at116 tonnes in 2018, he said, noting that the region is recording thelargest-ever boom of meth production and seizure.

Hau also pointed out the complicated drug crime situationin Vietnam in recent years. So far this year, the country has uncovered morethan 13,000 drug cases, detained over 20,000 persons involved and seized nearly5 tonnes of drugs and over 500,000 meth pills, more than 750kg of heroin and571kg of dried marijuana.

The officer said that at the meeting, theparticipants shared updated information and warned about emerging drug trendsand latent risks that are seriously affecting Vietnam and other countries. Theyanalysed the drug situation in the region and worked out urgent measures andstrategies to effectively deal with drug crime.

The delegates also affirmed the commitment tostrengthening cooperation in the combat against drug crime inside and outsideof the region, he added.-VNA