Acting on orders from Major General Do Thanh Binh, head of the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, officers in Lao Cai Province on February 18 intensified alcohol checks across the province.
At around midday, a 10-member patrol from Road Traffic Police Team 3 set up a checkpoint on Provincial Road 163 in Mau A Commune.
Officers used a drone to monitor drivers leaving nearby eateries, alerting colleagues by radio to stop suspected motorists for testing.
At 1 pm, police halted a car driven by a 33-year-old local woman after the drone tracked it leaving a nearby restaurant. She tested negative for alcohol and was allowed to continue.
About 10 minutes later, officers stopped a motorcyclist identified as N.V.T., born in 1984, who recorded a breath alcohol level of 0.716 mg per litre, the highest bracket under Vietnamese law. He was fined VND 9 million (around USD 360) and had his driving licence suspended.
Another rider, 46, registered 0.568 mg per litre after drinking at a family gathering. He was also sanctioned.
During the inspections, officers also used body-worn cameras to record proceedings, ensuring objectivity and transparency.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Tien Trung, head of the road traffic team, said officers would maintain patrols throughout the holiday with no exceptions, applying technology to reduce evasive tactics and curb alcohol-related accidents.
On the first day of the holiday, the unit inspected nearly 500 vehicles, handling 20 drink-driving cases and seven speeding violations, with total fines exceeding VND 170 million.
