Vietnam, Laos and China Boost Mekong Anti‑Drug Cooperation

Vietnam, Laos, China and Myanmar are intensifying joint efforts to curb synthetic drug trafficking along the Mekong River. The countries are sharing intelligence, coordinating investigations and disrupting criminal networks that use cross‑border transport, e‑commerce platforms, logistics services and cryptocurrencies for drug‑related transactions. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported an 18 % rise in synthetic‑drug seizures in Southeast Asia and the Pacific in 2025.

A notable joint operation, known as Case 135VL, was carried out by Vietnamese and Lao police in February 2026. Sixteen suspects were arrested and 50.7 tonnes of caffeine – a key precursor for illicit drug production – were seized, along with financial transactions worth hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong. Authorities say the seized chemicals could have been used to produce hundreds of tonnes of synthetic drugs if they had reached production centres in the Golden Triangle. Similar cooperation has produced other large‑scale busts, including Case 126H, which was launched after a bilateral anti‑drug conference between Vietnam and China.