Speaking at a meeting on the final review of the project, UNODC Representative Narumi Yamada said the main credit for the project's success in achieving better drugs seizures and arrests should go to the multi-sector task force units that had been actively engaged in on-the-ground operations.

She said that a recent final external evaluation recommended the project as a best practice model to be replicated elsewhere in the world.

The project, funded by the US Government through UNODC, was jointly carried out by the Police force's Counter-Narcotics Department, the Borderguard's Counter-Narcotics Department and the Customs' Anti-smuggling Department.

Under the project, multi-sector task force units were established in six "hot " provinces bordering China, Laos and Cambodia.

The force's capacity has been substantively enhanced through training provided by the project, resulting in successful arrests of drug traffickers and increased seizures of illegal drugs during recent years, according to Government statistics.

VNA/VOVNews