However, officers and soldiers of the Border Guard (BĐBP) are always ready to face, overcome all hardships and sacrifices to contribute to keeping peace for the people and the country in the face of the constant threat of drugs...

"Leader" of drug cases and big "catches"

During the peak days of the Action Month for Drug Prevention and Control (June 2023), I met Colonel Bui Duc Trung, Deputy Commander of the Cao Bang Provincial Border Guard, former Head of the Central Region Drug and Crime Prevention and Control Task Force (PCMTTP) (Group 2) at the Conference to commend and honor typical advanced models nationwide on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's call for patriotic emulation (June 11, 1948 / June 11, 2023).

With nearly 30 years of military service, Colonel Bui Duc Trung has held many positions and directly participated in the destruction of hundreds of drug-related cases. Notably, from mid-2019 to the end of 2022, as the Head of Group 2, Colonel Bui Duc Trung directed and organized forces to successfully combat 17 cases; commanded the unit to preside over and coordinate the detection and arrest of 159 cases/403 drug criminals, seizing 750kg of various types of drugs. Among them, there were particularly large cases, seizing up to 260kg of drugs; many cases were considered typical of high professional level, arresting entire criminal rings...

Colonel Bui Duc Trung clearly remembers all the cases and projects he commanded, of which the most impressive was Project A-121p in early 2021, established by the Department of Drug Crime Prevention and Control, Border Guard Command to combat a large-scale drug trafficking ring from Laos to Vietnam. Receiving information that 11 subjects, equipped with 5 AK guns, grenades, transporting 10 backpacks containing drugs, would cut through the forest to cross the border to Vietnam to deliver the goods..., according to the task assigned by the Project Board, Colonel Bui Duc Trung, in his position as Head of Fishing Team No. 3, selected the most elite special forces officers of the unit and directly surveyed the terrain, choosing an ambush location with safety factors...

Officers of Long Sap Border Guard Station (Border Guard of Son La province) propagate to students in Buoc Pat village, Long Sap commune, Moc Chau district (Son La) about the harmful effects of drugs. Photo: TRONG DUC

When the observation and surveillance team reported: "The Vietnamese subject has received the goods and is driving the cargo vehicle at high speed towards the ambush team No. 3", Colonel Bui Duc Trung immediately commanded the units to change from the ambush team to the blocking and encirclement team. The subject's car entered the capture team, at a position where it was impossible to go fast, Trung and 3 scouts immediately rushed out, smashed the glass door to control the subject; at the same time, coordinated with other teams to block and protect the scene, suppress the points and directions, not allowing the Lao subjects who had just delivered the drugs to support and rob the goods because the value of the shipment was very large (115kg of crystal meth). In April 2021, continuing the fight in phase 2 of Project A-121p, Colonel Bui Duc Trung directly commanded the force to arrest 1 more subject, confiscating 215kg of crystal meth and many exhibits.

In another case, in July 2022, as Deputy Head of Case A3-722, Colonel Bui Duc Trung directly commanded the investigation team to arrest 3 subjects, especially promptly controlling the subject using military guns right at the train station, where many passengers were preparing to board the train; confiscating 30kg of crystal meth, 1 K59 gun and 24 bullets.

With his achievements in the fight against drug crimes, Colonel Bui Duc Trung was awarded the Second Class Order of Merit and many Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister, the Minister of National Defense, the Border Guard Command...; was honored at the Program to honor advanced models in drug crime prevention and control organized by the Ministry of Public Security recently and represented the Border Guard's PCMTTP force to report achievements to President Vo Van Thuong.

In the Border Guard force, there are many typical examples, considered as the "nemesis" of drug crimes such as Colonel Bui Duc Trung. The brave spirit, regardless of hardship, danger, and selfless sacrifice in the fight against drug crimes of the Border Guard officers and soldiers at the border, sea, and islands makes many people admire.

Martyrs in peacetime

Before holding the position of Deputy Commander of the Border Guard, Major General Nguyen Van Thien was the Director of the Department of Drug Crime Prevention and Control, so he understands the hardships and sacrifices of officers and soldiers on duty to prevent and combat drug crimes: “Whenever, wherever, drug criminals are very reckless and reckless. 100% of drug criminals on the border have "hot" weapons, ready to shoot to rescue their accomplices, steal back drugs, and resist the pursuit of functional forces... Therefore, no matter how careful you are, in combat, sacrifice and loss are inevitable.”

Among the heroic examples of sacrifice in the fight against drug crimes, we cannot fail to mention the heroic martyr Lu Cong Thang, Assistant Detective, PCMTTP Department, Son La Provincial Border Guard. In Project 114L, on July 31, 2010, Senior Lieutenant Lu Cong Thang and his teammates suddenly raided and arrested a subject carrying a K69 gun and 6 heroin bricks as evidence. The remaining 2 subjects fled. With a determined spirit of attacking criminals, Senior Lieutenant Lu Cong Thang and the working group continued to pursue the two subjects to the Vietnam-Laos border when they suddenly opened fire... In response to the heroic sacrifice of the border guard officer with a long history of fighting drug crimes (Senior Lieutenant Lu Cong Thang and his teammates solved many drug cases, arrested dozens of dangerous subjects, seized more than 80 heroin cakes, 6.5 kg of opium, thousands of synthetic drug pills and many "hot" weapons), the Ministry of National Defense posthumously promoted him to the rank of Major and the President signed a decision to posthumously award the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces to Senior Lieutenant Lu Cong Thang.

Although he is now a general, has held many positions, and regularly directs forces under his command to fight against crime, every time he mentions the sacrifice of Captain Ngo Van Vinh, an employee of the PCMTTP Team, Tan Thanh Border Guard Station (Lang Son Provincial Border Guard), Major General Le Quang Dao, Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard, is still moved and emotional. On May 21, 2010, when Captain Ngo Van Vinh and his patrol team were chasing and arresting two drug traffickers across the border trail, the criminals took advantage of the darkness, fog, and rugged terrain to fight back fiercely with guns. “At that time, as the Chief of Tan Thanh Border Guard Station, I personally and quickly transported Ngo Van Vinh from Van Lang District Hospital to Lang Son Provincial General Hospital. On the way, along with calling for help, I asked the driver to drive as fast as possible in the hope of saving Vinh’s life. However, the wound was too serious, comrade Vinh sacrificed his life, leaving everyone with endless regret. During his 6 years working in the unit, Ngo Van Vinh directly solved 5 drug cases, 4 counterfeit money cases, 3 cases of trafficking women and children, and 4 cases of trafficking firecrackers. In addition, Vinh also participated with his comrades in the team to solve 27 other drug cases," Major General Le Quang Dao recalled.

Through our research, we learned that in recent years, the entire Border Guard force has drastically implemented many solutions to ensure the safety of officers and soldiers directly fighting crimes, thereby minimizing casualties, but it is still impossible to completely avoid them. Most recently, in mid-2019, Major Vi Van Nhat, an officer of the PCMTTP Department (Thanh Hoa Provincial Border Guard), was with his teammates checking a suspect who was suspected of transporting drugs when he was suddenly shot by the suspect's accomplices hiding nearby. Major Vi Van Nhat died on the way to the emergency room...

Behind the feats

Early last June, we visited the family of martyr Lu Cong Thang in Na Ngua village, Chieng An ward, Son La city, Son La province. In a small house built with comradely love, Ms. Tong Thi Khoong, wife of martyr Lu Cong Thang, is wholeheartedly taking care of her son who is preparing for the university entrance exam. Lu Cong Hieu wishes to continue his father's dream at the border.

Ms. Khoong emotionally confided: "Nearly 13 years have passed since the day Mr. Thang sacrificed, but I still cannot forget the fateful day of July 31, 2010. The loss was so great that it made me collapse! But for the future of my son Hieu, I was determined to overcome it. In 2011, I was assigned by the head of the Border Guard to work as a nurse at the Border Guard Clinic of Son La province. Becoming a Border Guard, I missed my husband even more and sympathized with the mission of the soldiers in green uniforms fighting against drug crimes. Time flies so fast, now Hieu is about to take the university entrance exam and wants to become a Border Guard. I am happy that my son knows how to think about big things, but honestly I can't help but worry and think because I have witnessed and experienced such great pain and loss. Even so, I still respect my son's choice."

During the process of writing this series of articles, I also returned to visit the family of Ms. Do Thu Huong, wife of martyr Ngo Van Vinh, in Vinh Trai ward, Lang Son city, Lang Son province. After her husband heroically sacrificed, Ms. Huong tried to overcome all difficulties to raise her son Ngo The Quang. Proud of his father who sacrificed at the border, Quang has always strived to be an excellent student over the years. Next year, Quang will take the university entrance exam and also cherishes the dream of becoming an officer tasked with maintaining security at the country's border. The level 4 house of Ngo The Quang and his mother is small but quite neat and tidy. Looking up at the portrait of her beloved husband, Ms. Do Thu Huong choked up: "Mr. Vinh sacrificed more than 13 years ago, but my son and I always think he is still at home. When facing difficulties and hardships in life, I miss him even more."

Major General Nguyen Van Thien confided: “In the 18 years since the Border Guard’s specialized force for combating drug crimes was established, 6 officers and soldiers have died and 26 comrades have been seriously injured while fighting drug crimes; hundreds of officers and soldiers have been exposed to HIV, or suffered minor injuries... In order to achieve achievements in special projects and cases, contributing to preventing criminals from spreading “white death”, many Border Guard families have had to bear the pain of loss that nothing can compensate for”.

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MAI CHU ANH