(KPL) The Meeting of Senior Police Officers on Counter Narcotics Cooperation in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) was held in Tonpheung, Bokeo Province of Laos on Jun 25.

Chaired by Deputy Minister of Public Security Maj. Gen. Khamking Phouylamanivong, the meeting was attended by vice governors of Bokeo Province, representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to the Lao PDR, diplomats and relevant officials from 6 GMS countries: China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The participants focused their discussion on how to address and prevent future challenges posed by narcotics drugs, narcotics threats to socio-economic development, and minimize drug abuse.

Maj. Gen. Khamking said, “Drug constitutes a severe threat and is spreading largely from urban to rural areas and at different extents. It causes various kinds of ills and crimes in society. The number of drug cases, suspects, prisoners, drug addicts, and types of drugs is increasing at an alarming rate.

The Lao government always attaches importance to addressing drug problems. This reflects in its signature of three international conventions on the prevention of drugs and psychotropic substances, memoranda of bilateral cooperation on drug prevention and suppression with 13 countries, memoranda of understanding on bilateral and multilateral cooperation with neigbouring countries, ASEAN, GMS, and its approval of anti-drug laws and sub-law instruments.

“Today meeting is important to promoting cooperation on anti-drug suppression and prevention. GMS member countries have strengthened their anti-drug cooperation through exchange of information, assistance, and capacity building. This reflects the importance the governments of the member states have attached to addressing drug issues in the region,” said Maj. Gen. Khamking.

KPL