High-tech methods refine border checkpoint work

"Our night shift lasted from 10:30 pm to 8:30 am, with barely any time for breaks. As soon as we finished inspecting one vehicle, the next one rolled in," Gao said.

With the expansion of expressways and development of new roads, National Highway 320 was no longer the only road access to Dehong. As a result, Gao and his colleagues began conducting inspections on mountain roads that branched off the main routes, where the risks were even greater.

One summer morning around 1 am, while patrolling the mountains, Gao heard the rumble of a car engine. Acting swiftly, he intercepted the vehicle and requested identification from the two men inside. The man in the passenger seat, appearing to reach for his ID, instead tried to grab a 50-centimeter machete from the back seat.

"I grabbed him immediately and apprehended him before he could cause any harm," Gao said. "During that operation, we uncovered over 1 kilogram of heroin in the back seat."

For Gao and his colleagues, such confrontations are just part of the job.

"Reflecting on these incidents can be terrifying, often leaving us in a cold sweat," he said. "However, when we consider the harm that drug users inflict on families and society, we remain undeterred."

During his 12 years at the checkpoint, Gao seized nearly 100 kg of drugs and earned a second-class merit award and five third-class merit awards.

He epitomizes the dedication of generations of border officers, who have fought on the front lines of drug enforcement, garnering numerous accolades for the checkpoint over the past 48 years.

In July this year, the checkpoint was recognized as an "outstanding primary-level Party organization" by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. In 2001, it was distinguished as a "pioneer anti-drug checkpoint" by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

The deep sense of honor, responsibility, and belonging has made this checkpoint a place of pride for generations of officers.

Earlier this year, Gao made his way back to the checkpoint after working for seven years at the Dulongjiang border police station in the Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture, Yunnan.

His return was made possible by the National Immigration Administration's Reunion Plan, a program designed to allow immigration police officers to transfer to locations where their spouses reside. Despite having the opportunity to work in more comfortable conditions, Gao chose Mukang.

"I have a deep attachment to the checkpoint, and it has always been difficult for me to part with it," Gao said. "Working here enables us to intercept drug trafficking and smuggling activities at the border, preventing drugs from infiltrating inland areas and thereby transforming the lives of many individuals and families."