55 books with banned content and one gun shipped from overseas to Vietnam

Exhibit in form of gun-shaped was seized by customs force. Photo: N.Linh

According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, in May, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic with complex and unpredictable developments greatly affected import and export activities. Some businesses took advantage of the policy of the Government and the People's Committees of provinces and cities on open mechanisms and policies to facilitate production, business, trading and service, import and export activities to commit violations.

Specifically, they took advantage of the complex development of the pandemic leading to the inspection, supervision and control of luggage of passengers entering country via road border faced many risks, the subjects illegally transported foreign currency and gold into the country for consumption.

The situation of illegal transport of narcotics via air, express delivery and postal services from European countries to Vietnam tends to increase. The methods of concealing drugs through this route are increasingly sophisticated such as in gifts, medicine, canned milk, and more to avoid inspection of the authorities.

Facing the complex developments in terms of form, nature, extent of violations, methods and tricks as mentioned above, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has issued several plans and guidance documents and directing local Customs Departments to promptly detect, prevent and handle violations.

As a result in May (reporting period April 16 to May 15), the whole Customs sector handled a total of 1,228 cases of violation, with the value of violated goods more than VND 154 billion; revenue collection reached VND 18 billion.

Notably, Customs authorities prosecuted two cases and transferred 10 cases to other agencies to propose prosecution.

Thus, until May 15, the Customs sector has collected and paid more than VND 82 billion to the State revenue from anti-smuggling, prosecuted nine cases, transferred to other agencies to prosecute 38 cases.

Some typical cases in the month included one on April 29, Customs Enforcement Team No. 2 (Quang Ninh Customs Department) detected one person committed acts of transporting 3,011 litres of Diesel oil (0.05S-II) of unknown origin, estimated value of VND 42 million.

On May 8, the police of Muong Cha district (Dien Bien) worked with the Dien Bien Customs Department and the Dien Bien Provincial Police to patrol and arrested one person for illegal trading drugs with the exhibits including one bag of heroin (358 grams) and 2,000 tablets of synthetic drugs.

On May 5, Hoa Khanh - Lien Chieu Industrial Park Customs Branch (Da Nang Customs Department) checked two parcels, of which one parcel was sent from Japan to Vietnam and found inside contained 55 books with banned content and one parcel shipped from the US to Vietnam containing three world maps printed Vietnam's waters named as the South China Sea.

On May 7, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch (HCM City Customs Department) carried out procedures for a shipment of gifts sent from Houston (US), transshipped through Taiwan to Vietnam and detected one EKA98 gun and six yellow metal bullets.

The same day, Tinh Bien Customs Branch (An Giang Customs Department) coordinated with Tinh Bien Border Station to inspect and detect one person who had committed acts of illegal transport of five pieces of yellow metal (suspected to be gold weighing 5 kg), 1,040,000 Riel and VND 4 million.

On May 8, Chi Ma Customs Branch (Lang Son Customs Department) patrolled and discovered an abandoned shipment containing 14 kg of white solid metal (suspected to be silver).