Việt Nam, US enhance law enforcement capacity against drug crimes

Major General Vũ Trung Kiên (centre right) at the reception. — Photo from People’s Army newspaper

HÀ NỘI – Major General Vũ Trung Kiên, Deputy Commander in charge of law at the Việt Nam Coast Guard Command, said on Monday that he hopes the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics & Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) will enhance cooperation with the Việt Nam Coast Guard and Border Guard amidst complicated developments of drug and human trafficking crimes.

Hosting a Hà Nội reception for Shelby Smith-Wilson, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the INL, Kiên suggested both sides strengthen information sharing on crime syndicates and drug crimes at sea, and organise training courses to improve capacity for the Vietnamese law enforcement officers in the fight against drug crimes, human trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

He also recommended the INL continue arranging foreign language training courses for the staff of the Vietnamese forces.

Over the past time, the US Government and the INL in particular have supported the Vietnamese coast and border guards to better their law enforcement capacity, and organised various regional programmes and conferences which offer Southeast Asian countries opportunities to discuss and join hands to settle drug and crimes effectively.

The US official affirmed that the US Government always accompanies the Vietnamese Government in ensuring a safe and open Indo-Pacific, and spoke highly of the efforts by the Vietnamese forces in the fight.

She said the INL always attaches much importance to its cooperation with the Vietnam Coast Guard, hoping for stronger collaboration in the above-mentioned areas as well as the implementation of initiatives to improve the role of women in law enforcement at sea. — VNS