LookAtVietnam – Nearly 2,000 smuggling and 600 drug-related cases have been uncovered on the Vietnamese - Cambodian border in the past two years.

There are 11 casinos and there cock fighting arenas in Cambodia right next to Viet Nam’s Moc Bai border gate.

The assistant minister of the Cambodian Interior Ministry in charge of National Police Affairs, Senior General Em Sam An, agreed: “Across-border criminals have caused bad consequences for security on the border between the two nations. Therefore, it’s necessary to strengthen co-operation between the two police forces in crime prevention.”

For the whole 2008 and first nine months this year, at least 1,893 smuggling cases, worth a total of VND93.5 billion (US$5.2 million) were halted. Police in 10 Vietnamese and Cambodian provinces arrested 1,085 drug related criminals in 569 different cases with a total of 4.76kg of heroin, 396kg of marijuana and 252 addictive pills.

Though the two nations’ police forces have successfully investigated and arrested many criminals, there are more law-breakers still on the run.

One potential solution that participants discussed was the need to ask the two governments to sign an agreement on justice support and criminal extradition.

The Ministry of Public Security also said it plans to promote information exchanges about criminals, especially for international ones, Vietnamese in Cambodia and Cambodians in Viet Nam.

The ministry pledged to support their Cambodian partners in training on crime prevention and suggested an opening of police liaison offices in Viet Nam and Cambodia.

According to the Public Security Ministry, the crime landscape along the Viet Nam – Cambodia border is very complicated, with the trafficking of drugs, women and weapons, smuggling, gambling, robbery, piracy and illegal immigration.

What’s more, there are 11 casinos and there cock fighting arenas in Cambodia right next to Viet Nam’s Moc Bai border gate.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News