Joint effort to stamp out drug trafficking underway

[Lite Beer]

Joint effort to stamp out drug trafficking underway

BANGKOK: -- Drug traffickers are now increasingly using Mekong river to smuggle drugs out to other parts of the world as the river flows through many countries in the Indochina region.

Drug enforcement authorities estimated that no less than 30 million pills or tablets of drugs every year are smuggled out in such a manner.

The increase in drug trafficking prompted authorities of four countries to pool their resources to stem the tide of narcotics being ferried on the fabled river.

Now, Myanmar, Laos, China and Thailand are jointly patrolling the waters of the Mekong to tackle the problem of narcotics being transported on its waters.

The boat patrol routinely departs from the Chieng Saen pier in Thailand and progresses to other strategic piers located on the Laotian and Myanmar side of the river.

The patrol extends as far out as the Golden Triangle in order to police and detect narcotic trafficking on the river which worryingly is on the rise.

Most of the time traffickers employ the numerous small villages as storage locations before distribution to other regions.

The Mekong river is regarded as a multinational waterway that flows all the way from southern China passing through Laos, Myanmar and eventually to Thailand which presents narcotics traffickers with a convenient means of transportation.

Also, because of the river has many tributaries policing the trade is proving to be a major headache for authorities in all four countries.

The river flows directly into the vast Esan (northeastern) region of Thailand allowing traffickers easy access into the country.

Authorities estimate that no less than 30 million pills or tablets of narcotics pass through the river every year and this does take into account “Ice” (crystal methamphetamine) or the raw materials used in narcotics production which are also being transported on the river.

Worryingly, statistics now show that in the past 5 year period there has been a continued rise of narcotics activity in all the four countries situated along the Mekong river.

Wang Hong Lu, the head of the intelligence arm of the Chinese Office of the Narcotics Control Board, admitted that there has been a sustained increase of narcotics trafficking in the southern part of the country which borders Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

Crazy pills or known as Yaba and Ice trafficking continue to rise where in the past there were only comparatively small number of heroin being ferried on the river.

He stated that it was for this reason that there is now a joint effort from all four countries to tackle the problem.

The Mekong river is now recognized as not only one of the major sources of the narcotics in the region, but also a critical transportation route used for distribution.

The secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board Permphong Chaovalit said “only through a coordinated effort from all four countries that can tackle the problem.

The river is a major waterway that stretches all the way to the northeast of the region.

Our counterparts in Myanmar have committed to the effort on the western-most part of the river while in the eastern-most part of the river is being policed by the Chinese authorities, he said.

The middle portion of the river is being looked after by Thailand and Laos and this will mean that effectively, we will have a strong strangle-hold on the river.”

He stated that authorities from all four countries are aware that there are several narcotics groups operating in the Mekong River area.

But so far as they can tell, no clear leader has emerged to replace the notorious Nor Kham, the former Mekong river drug-lord who was arrested by Laos and deported to China where he was eventually executed by Chinese authorities two years ago for the shooting to death of 14 Chinese sailors.

Efforts are underway to share intelligence on narcotics among all four countries and will also try to discover dealer networks based in the respective countries.

It is hoped that these efforts will help to stem the drug trade on the Mekong river,he added.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/joint-effort-stamp-drug-trafficking-underway

-- Thai PBS 2014-12-13

[ratcatcher]

" Hi, Thaksin here,remember me? Maybe I can help, I've had some experience with drug traffickers in the past"

[Baa_Mango]

I had thought the Thai Army was implicated in the executions of the Chinese sailors?

[Baa_Mango]

TS.jpg

" Hi, Thaksin here,remember me? Maybe I can help, I've had some experience with drug traffickers in the past"

Actually Thaksin's sloppy summary execution plan ended up killing many small time dealers and users while letting the producers, importers, and traffickers to continue moving with impunity.

[bangrak]

Stamp out drug trafficking! Eradicate human trafficking! Remove encroachers! Where are the BiBs going to get their money from, when this all would, really, happen? Is it the reason for the officers from Thonglor police station to 'experiment' with new scams to shake the tourists off?

[clockman]

Good luck to them. Easy to say. But!

[jaltsc]

"Joint effort to stamp out drug trafficking underway..."

I'm for any effort that involves joints.

[Robby nz]

They had better hurry for once all the planned dams are built there could be nothing left but a muddy drain.

[EyesWideOpen]

Wow the military is really going to cut into police income !!! :-)

[surangw]

TS.jpg

" Hi, Thaksin here,remember me? Maybe I can help, I've had some experience with drug traffickers in the past"

Actually Thaksin's sloppy summary execution plan ended up killing many small time dealers and users while letting the producers, importers, and traffickers to continue moving with impunity.

maybe that was the plan, cut down on the small time dealers so the big time dealers could do more business

[Guitar God]

No mention of ganja, glad their priorities are in order.

[toooa]

And how long have governments, worldwide been "trying" to do this? It'll never happen because the economic incentives for it to continue are too great. The harder they "try" the more money to be made. In a region where money is everything, and where law enforcement are many and poorly paid/educated, in a region where turning a blind eye makes much more money than doing one's "duty", what are the chances that there will be any long term success? Zero. This is just a dick waving exercise.

As for the people that really believe this is a worthy effort that will actually achieve anything, the little people, the "normal" people, the TV news watchers...in the words of Mr. T, "I pity the fools".

Of course people in power love it, because it creates the illusion that they are doing something. It's one of those topics that is framed squarely in terms of the good/bad morality. An argument for simpletons who can accept it, without ever engaging in any critical thinking.

The "prachachon" want to be protected from the boogy man don't they? One last point, in a time of economic instability worldwide we can only expect trafficking to increase, as more and more people find themselves in desperate financial situations....an oh yeah, ASEAN 2015....all that trade and business, all those people moving around SE Asia.... that should decrease such industries....not.

[Don Aleman]

Hmn ? I believe that will be " Joint Effort " number 1,475 !

[ratcatcher]

"Joint effort to stamp out drug trafficking underway..."

I'm for any effort that involves joints.

Just another snow job.

[mikemac]

I wish them luck but can't see any result coming out of it. This "war on drugs" was lost years ago, despite billions of $ being spent around the world the drug users are still being supplied with their fix.

And please don't mention any figures if you discuss Thaksin's method in stopping the drug trade or we will have to put up with Fab4 posting longwinded arguments regarding the death toll.

[connda]

Stamp out drug trafficking? It will a cold day in hell before that happens. But what the heck. It gives the BIB something to do other than to shakedown farangs on Sukhumvit, and it gives the news agencies a steady flow of photo-ops.

[lil fluffy clouds]

And so tea money goes up, great economics for law enforcers....

[EyesWideOpen]

I wish them luck but can't see any result coming out of it. This "war on drugs" was lost years ago, despite billions of $ being spent around the world the drug users are still being supplied with their fix.

And please don't mention any figures if you discuss Thaksin's method in stopping the drug trade or we will have to put up with Fab4 posting longwinded arguments regarding the death toll.

Not sure about the other 2499, but I personally witnessed one of the executions while

I was in Chiang Mai. A pretty ugly scene. So hopefully if the military starts its own

executions, it will be done in a more discreet manner so as not to offend the sensibilities

of tourist witnesses....