Lao police settle 1457 drug cases in past year, seize over 208 kg of heroin

Counter narcotics police in Laos have settled 1,457 drug cases over the past year, seizing 208.6 kg of heroin, around 13 million methamphetamine tablets, 4.6 tons of dried cannabis and 128.8 kg of opium, said a senior official Wednesday. This was revealed by Kou Chansina, acting chairman of the Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision, at a a commemoration of the 26th International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking held here. In a review of its efforts to curb drug trafficking and addiction in the country, the Lao government said that in the attempt to curb these problems in the past year there had been some law reforms, greater national awareness through provincial level campaigns, increased support to ex-opium farmers in Northern Laos to develop alternative crops, and increased support to victims of addiction. Chansina also outlined Laos' participation in regional and international forums and bodies on drug control and harm prevention, such as the Joint Operation Safe Mekong which involves China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. In pursuing the national goal of bringing opium cultivation down to zero, the government has pursued a "three-builds" policy, which aims to develop drug and crime-free communities. So far, in the Vientiane Capital Area (the central province surrounding the capital), 54.5 percent of villages have achieved " drug-free" status. In Laos' southern-most province of Champasak, 54.4 percent of villages have been declared "crime-free." Of the country's secondary schools, 42.58 percent have been declared " drug-free schools." However, no data was given in the report for other provinces, especially the northern and western provinces where opium production is most rife and where there is believed to be a high level of illicit drug trade between the neighboring countries of Myanmar and Thailand. Chansina praised the contribution by countries and bodies both internationally and regionally who had aided Laos to develop and implement their anti-drug program. The commemoration concluded with a mass incineration of narcotics seized by police. In the fire were over five million tablets of Amphetamine Type Substances (ATS), 300 kilos of powdered ATS, over 2,000 kilos of dried cannabis, almost 20 kilos of heroin, and 3 kilos of fake heroin.