The Border Guard Command of Vietnam's central Quang Binh province and the Military Command and police of the Lao province of Khammouane on January 13 looked into border defence, entry and exit management, and the COVID-19 fight.

The Border Guard Command of Quang Binh province presents equipment for COVID-19
prevention and control  to the Military Command and police of Khammouane of Laos 

At a meeting held at the Vietnamese province’s Cha Lo International Border Gate, the two sides shared information on the socio-economy, security, and defence situation in Quang Binh and Khammounane last year.

They have maintained borderline and border marker safeguarding, exit and entry management, and COVID-19 prevention and control. Drug crime remains complex, however, with the appearance of new ruses, they said.

Colonel Trinh Thanh Binh, Commander of the Quang Binh Border Guard Command, said a large number of Vietnamese working in Laos are forecast to return home via the Cha Lo International Border Gate in the near future, and there may be crime rings organising illegal entry from Laos to Vietnam and vice-versa.

He suggested the two sides maintain information sharing and checkpoints in border areas so as to prevent illegal cross-border travel and the transmission of COVID-19.

They agreed to continue close coordination in combating illegal cross-border travel and crime while increasing communications to raise awareness among border residents.

In 2020, via bilateral cooperation, border guards in Quang Binh discovered 21 cases with 31 people trafficking drugs, firecrackers, and forestry products from Laos to Vietnam, and seized nearly 130,000 synthetic drug pills, 250 kg of meth, 13 kg of heroin, and 20 kg of firecrackers. They also dealt with 78 cases of illicitly crossing the border, involving 91 people.