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VIENTIANE, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith has urged the public to participate in fighting against illicit drugs which is deemed an obstacle to socio-economic development and a serious threat to the country.
The Prime Minister made the call in his statement delivered on the 29th International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking which falls on Sunday this year.
The government organized a ceremony in capital Vientiane of drugs on Saturday, destroying drugs confiscated, with leaders and officials from the party and government, representatives of diplomatic corps, representatives of international organizations, and students all in attendance.
Prime Minister Thongloun began his speech by pointing out the dangers of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
"It is an obstacle to national social and economic development, and an important source of crime and corruption, and not to mention a tremendous loss for drug victims and their families," Lao state-run online newspaper Vientiane Times Sunday quoted the prime minister as saying.
According to the report disseminated at the ceremony by the Minister of Public Security, Major General Somkeo Silavong, more than 2,400 drugs-related cases have been cracked down in the past year with more than 3,500 suspects arrested, 77 of whom are foreigners.
This involved the confiscation of more than three million methamphetamine tablets (ATS), about 232 kg of heroin, about 39 kg of raw opium, more than 2,800 kg of dry cannabis, more than 150 kg of crystal amphetamine (ice), 6,690 kg of chemical precursors, and 1,105 kg of powder for mixing and producing drugs.
Prime Minister Thongloun also proposed to ministries, departments, and local authorities at different levels to pay attention to the implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan from now until the year 2020.
He pointed to the importance of the campaign against and the prevention of the spread of illicit drugs, speeding up the restructuring of the organization of drug control committees at all levels, widely building of civic awareness in different forms, drug treatment, rehabilitation and vocational training, and the supervising and mobilizing of people to stop the cultivation of opium and cannabis.
He also stressed increasing strict control and prevention measures to drug traffickers at different localities, to find, list, and monitor main drug dealer targets, including Lao and foreigners who traffic drugs in the country.
"This is to bring them to criminal justice proceeding according to the national rule of law," the prime minister said. Enditem
