Addressing an online conference in Hanoi to review the implementation of an action programme to prevent and combat human trafficking in the 2004-2009 period, Deputy PM Trong asserted that addressing this issue is an important political and socio-economic task for government localities at all levels.

Deputy PM Trong asked officials to step up the training of human resources to investigate such crimes, as well as boost vocational training, create more jobs and increase people’s living standard, especially those in remote areas.

He said that further efforts are needed to raise public awareness of law as well as the deceptions employed by the traffickers to increase public vigilance against the crime.

Speaking at the conference which attracted the participation of state leaders, local authorities and representatives from 14 ministries and relevant agencies, international organisations and foreign delegations in Vietnam, Vice Minister of Public Security Le The Tiem said that over the past five years since the programme has been deployed nationwide, the country has uncovered 1,586 cases of human trafficking and arrested 2,888 suspects, of which 60 percent of cases were related to the trafficking to China and 11 percent to Cambodia.

Police forces rescued over 1,000 victims and helped nearly 3,000 others return home. Most of the people freed from the traffickers have had access to counselling services and have received a state subsidy to help them reintegrate into their community as well as vocational training courses, Vice Minister Tiem added./.

(Source: VietNamPlus)