Việt Nam, Thailand share experiences in combating drugs at sea

The delegation of Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board visits and works with the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu Province on November 25. — Photo Courtesy of VCG

BÀ RỊA VŨNG TÀU — Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board deputy secretary general Apikit Ch.rojprasert led a delegation to visit and work with the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu Province on Monday.

The visit is within the framework of coordination activities and experience sharing on drug control at seaports between the Việt Nam Coast Guard and the Thailand Narcotics Control Board.

Colonel Nguyễn Đức Hiếu, deputy commander of the Law of the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command, chaired the reception.

At the meeting, the delegation was introduced to the functions and tasks of the Việt Nam Coast Guard (VCG), an overview of drug crimes at sea in Việt Nam, and the outstanding results that the VCG’s specialised anti-drug force has achieved recently.

The two sides exchanged and shared practical experiences in patrolling and controlling drugs by sea to contribute to combating the increasingly complicated drug problem in each country, and pledged to effectively implement the cooperation agreement on drug control signed between the two countries in 2001.

The two nations have organised a range of activities to share experiences in drug prevention, detoxification and management of former addicts.

Apikit Ch.rojprasert thanked the reception and experience sharing in drug prevention and control from the VCG’s specialised units.

“Thailand will actively cooperate and share information with Vietnamese authorities in drug prevention and control,” he said.

Hiếu proposed the Thailand Narcotics Control Commission increase information exchange with VCG, support the verification and investigation of subjects related to drug trafficking and transportation by sea.

“We should study the establishment of a hotline between the coast guards of the countries for crime prevention and control activities, especially drug crimes,” he said.

The two sides will further promote patrolling and controlling the sea areas bordering the two countries, combining to improve the effectiveness of detecting, preventing and promptly handling violations and crimes.

They will also coordinate in organising training courses, sharing experiences in using modern equipment and supporting the improvement of drug control capacity by sea. — VNS