Lancang-Mekong countries to launch joint operation against precursor chemicals

Countries in the Lancang-Mekong Basin, including China, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, recently announced they would launch a joint operation against precursor chemicals in November.

The Lancang-Mekong Integrated Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Center said officials from the six countries made the announcement in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, which borders Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

Zheng Baigang, secretary-general of the center, said the joint action aimed at tackling the root causes of drug-related crimes and eradicating such crimes through measures to control the production and transportation of precursor chemicals in the region.

Liang Yun, head of the narcotics control bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, said the Golden Triangle region has become a regional and even global synthetic drug manufacturing center, which harms social stability and economic development in the Lancang-Mekong Basin.

Liang said preventing the flow of precursor chemicals in the basin is the shared responsibility of all countries in the basin, and requires joint efforts of their law enforcement agencies, while China will actively participate in the joint action.

The action will last for six months, according to the center.

Editor: John Li