UNODC Donates Equipment to Support Drug Prevention Efforts in Dong Thap

(DTO) The Border Liaison Office (BLO) in Dong Thap province on March 26 received anti-drug equipment funded by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in a ceremony held at the Dong Thap Provincial Police Department.

The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Public Security’s Drug Crime Investigation Police Department and Dong Thap Provincial Police.

Attending the ceremony, the international delegation included Mr. Riku Lehtovuori, Regional Coordinator, and Ms. Nguyen Minh Loc, Programme Assistant on Border Management from the UNODC Office. Representatives of the sponsors included Mr. Eric Borgman, Acting Chief of the Political Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, and Ms. Chu Do Quyen from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

On the Vietnamese side, representatives from the Ministry of Public Security’s Drug Crime Investigation Police Department and Department of Foreign Relations, along with Colonel Nguyen Van Thay, Deputy Director of Dong Thap Provincial Police and Chief of the Dong Thap BLO Office, presided over the reception.

At the ceremony, Dong Thap Provincial Police reported on the drug crime situation along the more than 50-kilometer border with Prey Veng province of Cambodia, where criminals often exploit canal networks and trails to operate. Statistics show rising drug-related crime pressure: In 2025, authorities handled more than 200 cases involving nearly 250 suspects, a significant increase compared to 2024. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, nearly 100 cases involving over 130 suspects were detected, with about 260 grams of synthetic drugs seized. In this context, the equipment package from UNODC is considered a technical “extended arm” to help law enforcement enhance surveillance capacity and dismantle transnational drug trafficking networks.

On behalf of Dong Thap Provincial Police, Colonel Nguyen Van Thay expressed gratitude to UNODC and the sponsors, affirming that the donated equipment would be used effectively. 

He also pledged to direct relevant units to fully implement activities under the BLO framework, particularly in updating and sharing information to promptly handle emerging situations.

Furthermore, Dong Thap Provincial Police also proposed that UNODC continue to promote the establishment of a BLO Office in the bordering province of Prey Veng to ensure synchronized and comprehensive coordination in combating drug crimes along the entire border.

 By Dang Thanh

Translated by X.QUANG