Since the beginning of 2025, Bokeo Province has emerged as a major front in Laos’s fight against narcotics, with authorities intercepting over 70 million methamphetamine pills and large quantities of other illegal substances.
On 7 July, authorities in Bokeo Province seized a large shipment of illegal drugs from a vehicle suspected of trafficking. The haul included 1,920 kilograms of ketamine, nearly 2 million methamphetamine pills, 15 kilograms of ecstasy powder, and 51 kilograms of heroin. The driver was detained, and an investigation is ongoing to identify those involved.
Just days earlier, on 3 July, police arrested two Lao men at the Namthoung checkpoint after discovering 554,000 meth pills hidden in a van. Investigations are ongoing to trace the network and apprehend others involved.
Officials have since seized all items as evidence and are continuing their investigation to trace the network and arrest other suspects involved in the trafficking operation.
Earlier significant drug seizures this year include the following: On 6 June, Bokeo authorities confiscated 124 kilograms of ketamine from a modified van, detaining the driver, Ja Tho, a 35-year-old bus driver from Don That village, Tonpheung district.
On 4 June, police seized 200 kilograms of ketamine and 1 kilogram of crystal methamphetamine (ice) from a 42-year-old man.
On 17 May, officers discovered 19.5 million methamphetamine pills hidden in a modified trailer container, and on the same day, 173,000 methamphetamine pills were found at a residence in Bokeo Province, leading to the arrest of a married couple aged 33 and 29.
Additionally, 10 million methamphetamine pills were seized on 10 May. The largest seizure occurred on 21 April, when authorities recovered over 20 million methamphetamine pills from an abandoned truck in Tonpheung District.
Earlier, on 20 February, authorities in Bokeo Province seized 15 million methamphetamine pills from two vehicles. Two drivers, aged 26 and 31, were detained. On 17 February, a coordinated operation uncovered 770 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in another abandoned vehicle.
On 30 January, authorities seized 22 packets of methamphetamine tablets, totaling 4.4 million pills. Three suspects were involved but fled the scene.
Responding to increasing trafficking and public concern, Bokeo authorities have intensified enforcement efforts. In June, officials inaugurated a six-meter surveillance watchtower along the Mekong River, funded by Thailand at USD 42,222, to improve cross-border monitoring.
A special anti-crime task force deployed to the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in August 2024 targets organized crime and cyber offenses, resulting in 771 arrests from 15 countries connected to telecom fraud operations.
Despite enhanced security measures, Bokeo remains a critical transnational trafficking hub due to its Golden Triangle proximity where Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar converge. International organizations including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) continue emphasizing regional collaboration and comprehensive strategies to combat the narcotics trade.