Strengthening cooperation in preventing and combating human trafficking and cross-border crimes

On October 2, in Hanoi, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Vietnam and the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention and Control, Vietnam Border Guard Command (BĐBP) held a conference to launch cooperation activities to improve the capacity of frontline officers in preventing and combating human trafficking and transnational crimes.

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The project is funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

Speaking at the ceremony, IOM Vietnam Chief of Mission Park Mi-Hyung emphasized that facilitating safe and orderly cross-border migration, maintaining border security and supporting border guards are among the important tasks of IOM: "Human trafficking is a global problem that requires close and effective coordination. This project is an important part of IOM's support to the Government of Vietnam not only to strengthen border management and manage migration flows, but also to contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the National Program on Prevention and Combating Trafficking in Persons for the period 2021-2025 with a vision to 2030 and the Plan for Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, of which Vietnam is an active member country in implementing the Agreement."

Head of IOM Vietnam Delegation, Ms. Park Mi-Hyung. Photo: VOV.

As Vietnam’s economy recovers rapidly from the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Vietnamese people migrating abroad to work in the hope of a better life and income is increasing. Taking advantage of that demand, human trafficking criminals are increasingly using online platforms to recruit, defraud, coerce and exploit victims to work for online fraud centers operating in border areas of Southeast Asian countries.

With the task of managing 5,036 km of land border and 3,260 km of coastline, the Vietnam Border Guard is the frontline force in preventing and combating cross-border crimes.

Building on the success of previous cooperation projects between IOM and the Vietnam Border Guard, this project aims to strengthen the capacity of the Border Guard, especially frontline officers in border areas, to detect, investigate and handle human trafficking cases, as well as to identify, protect and assist victims of trafficking, especially in the context of crimes shifting to cyberspace.

Under the project, a new training manual on combating human trafficking and protecting victims will be developed for frontline staff.

Delegates attending the event - Photo: VGP/Thuy Dung.

The training materials will be updated with new laws, crime trends and specific cases. The project will use these materials to conduct 16 training courses for more than 600 frontline border officers on crime prevention, control and immigration control nationwide. With the investigative support equipment funded by the project, border officers will be able to apply their expertise to handle complex cases of human trafficking and related cross-border crimes, as well as improve their ability to protect and assist victims of trafficking.

Colonel Vu Xuan Dai - Deputy Director of the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention, Vietnam Border Guard Command (PCMT&TP, BDBP) affirmed: "International cooperation in preventing and combating organized and transnational crime in general, and human trafficking in particular, is an objective necessity. In the past time, the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention, BDBP has implemented this work very effectively. Implementing the direction of the Ministry of National Defense and the Border Guard Command, the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention will actively implement approved cooperation activities, aiming to improve the effectiveness of preventing and combating human trafficking crimes in the coming time".

Provide knowledge on preventing and combating human trafficking and promoting safe migration

In recent days, many activities have been organized in provinces and cities to disseminate laws on drug prevention and control, human trafficking prevention and control, and safe migration for students and local people.

National Assembly Deputies Propose Adding More Rights to Victims of Human Trafficking

Support for vocational training, job placement; travel expenses and food expenses during the time of participating in criminal proceedings related to human trafficking cases for victims of human trafficking... are some of the proposals of National Assembly deputies when discussing in groups about the draft Law on Prevention and Combat of Human Trafficking (amended) on June 8.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/tang-cuong-hop-tac-trong-phong-chong-mua-ban-nguoi-va-toi-pham-xuyen-bien-gioi-205635.html