Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong, who is also Chairman of the National Committee for HIV/AIDS, Drugs and Prostitution Prevention and Control, praised the Ministry of Public Security as well as concerned ministries, sectors and localities for their performance in the fight against drug abuse. 

Many regional cities and provinces have successfully combined the work with their socio-economic development activities, hunger elimination and poverty reduction, said Mr Trong, who is also Head of the Steering Committee for the Northwestern Region. 

However, the deputy PM pointed out a number of shortcomings facing the drug prevention work, including shortages of funding and competent personnel while legal documents and policies failing to catch up with the reality. 

Mr Trong said the fight should focus on increasing public awareness, especially stepping up the dissemination of laws in this field to ethnic minority people. Mass media agencies need to take a more active part in the campaign against this social evil, the deputy PM added. 

Statistics released at the conference showed that since 2009, over 7,200 drug-related criminal cases have been detected in northwestern provinces and cities. With more than 9,300 people arrested, down 9.9 percent and 18.4 percent respectively. A total of 214 kg of heroin, almost 27 kg of opium, VND6.8 billion, 13 firearms and four grenades were seized during drug-related investigations. 

More than 16,000 drug addicts in the regional cities and provinces were sent to detoxification facilities, while nearly 29 hectares of drug-containing plants were destroyed. 

On this occasion, the Ministry of Public Security presented certificates of merit to 39 units which have made outstanding contributions to the fight against drug-related crimes.