Police in Laos have seized over fourteen metric tons of illegal drugs over the last three months across the country.
Deputy Director of the Central Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, Colonel Bouaphan Fongmany, says police seized some 14 tons of illicit substances in three months, with 1,562 drug traffickers imprisoned.
Some 10,158 kilograms of amphetamines, as well as 1,593 kilograms of crystal meth, ten kilograms of heroin, and 3,036 kilograms of cannabis, as well as small amounts of opium and ecstasy, were seized or confiscated between August and October this year, Security News reports.
Authorities were able to resolve 1,106 drug cases around the country from August to October this year, making 1,562 drug-related arrests.
Of these, 42 foreigners were arrested, including 20 Vietnamese nationals, five Chinese nationals, ten from Myanmar, and six from Thailand, according to Colonel Bouaphan Fongmany.
“In addition to the seizure of more than 14 tons of illegal drugs, authorities recovered 32 stolen vehicles, including 216 motorcycles, as well as five sets of illegal firearms, and 117 rounds of ammunition,” Colonel Bouaphan added.
Between August and October this year, there were four major cases of drug trafficking, including a seizure of 1,319 kg of marijuana by police in Khammouane Province in September.
In October, police in Bokeo Province confiscated 10 million methamphetamine pills, and later that month, police in Ton Pheung District, Bokeo Province, seized another six million tablets.
Meanwhile, two drug traffickers were arrested in Bokeo in late October when over 55 million amphetamine tablets and 1,537 packets of crystal methamphetamines were seized in one of the largest drug hauls in the country’s history.
The Lao government in May declared drug prevention and control a national agenda, calling for decisive action and the participation of multiple sectors to combat the narcotics threat.
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