Ho Chi Minh City mobilizes communities against drugs
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In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, authorities and residents are working together to reduce drug crime and aim for a drug-free city by 2030.
Local police in Chánh Hưng Ward opened a public service centre in April 2026 to educate people about illicit drugs, including new synthetics disguised as common products. The centre has already reached around 2,000 residents and aided in dismantling a case involving teenagers using drugs hidden in e-cigarettes.
Ward officials are also coordinating with schools to monitor students and incorporate drug prevention into school activities. In Hòa Hưng Ward, a neighbourhood with a methadone treatment facility, authorities implemented outreach programs pairing Party members with residents to share legal information and installed nearly 300 security cameras. Citywide, police investigated over 5,000 drug-related cases and arrested more than 13,000 suspects in the first seven months of 2026.
They are using new hair-sample testing devices to detect drug use from the past 90 days, while also addressing a rising trend of drug offenses committed by people under 30. Over 1,000 local task forces and 2,200 safe residential zones support these efforts.
