Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department: The core of the Customs force in the fight against drug crimes

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Objects and exhibits of violations in a specialized project co-chaired by the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department.

In order to well perform the assigned functions and tasks, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department has always actively researched, reviewed, analyzed and assessed the situation and trends. Since then chair and coordinate with relevant units inside and outside the sector to strengthen the implementation of professional measures and combat plans in order to prevent, detect, promptly and effectively handle the activities of illegal cross-border drug trafficking and transportation.

Currently, 2 units directly carry out the task of fighting drug crimes of the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department are Team 5 (in charge of the area from Thua Thien Hue to the Northern provinces) and Team 6 (in charge of the area from Thua Thien Hue to the Northern provinces). responsible for the area from Da Nang to the southern provinces).

Leaders of Team 5 shared, the management area is large while the unit only has 22 officials, to successfully complete the assigned tasks, in addition to the leadership and direction of leaders at all levels, it requires great efforts from both the collective and the individual within the organization. In fact, in carrying out the task, there are cases arising in the management area, but the line is spread all over the country, so it requires close coordination with functional units inside and outside the sector.

“There was a case of drugs being transported from abroad to Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi, which was co-chaired by the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department and Hanoi Customs Department to establish a special case. But then drugs were forwarded to subjects in many provinces and cities throughout the country, including localities outside the area such as Dong Nai. Therefore, if the coordination is not done well, it will be difficult to arrest the subject", the leader of Team 5 shared.

In addition, to successfully solve cases with such complicated cases, officials of Team 5 and coordinating forces have to spend many days stalking and wearing secret clothes to arrest the subject.

The sharing of the leaders of Team 5 is also the common difficulty that the staff of public servants in charge of fighting drug crimes of the whole Industry are facing and trying to overcome.

Deputy Director of the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department Nguyen Van On said that, in the face of increasingly complicated drug crimes in the area of customs operations, the unit advised the leaders of the General Department of Customs to direct the control force to Anti-narcotics control throughout the sector focuses on identifying well the methods, tricks and key areas, especially the airline and postal routes to organize timely prevention and arrest.

“The guiding point of view of the leaders of the General Department of Customs is that all cases of smuggling and illegal transportation of narcotics in the area of customs operation, the Customs force must take the lead, take the initiative, outside the area they must coordinate with functional forces, especially the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department, Ministry of Public Security", Deputy Director of the Department Nguyen Van On emphasized.

Some officials of Teams 5 and 6 shared with reporters, thanks to the close attention and guidance of the leaders of the General Department of Customs, the leaders of the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department, through good forecasting of the situation and promptly issue warnings on operation methods and tricks of criminals buying, selling and illegally transporting narcotics across the border, through customs inspection, supervision and control in combination with the application of synchronous professional measures, the work of fighting against drug crimes of the units has had a positive change.

In particular, the organization of specialized combat is increasingly carried out in a methodical and effective manner; CBBC's capacity, qualifications and bravery are increasingly enhanced... This is an important foundation for the units to continue to promote and perform well on this dangerous and arduous front.

In the first 7 months of 2023, the whole Customs sector presided over and coordinated with the Police and Border Guard forces to detect and arrest 167 cases and 178 subjects, of which the Customs authority presided over 77 cases.

Exhibits obtained include: 2,351 kg of opium; 71.3 kg of cannabis; 81.3 kg of heroin; 321.3 kg of cocaine; 179 kg of ketamine and 14,452 ketamine tablets; 538.9 kg of synthetic drugs and 224 synthetic drug tablets; 2,393g of other drugs and 990 tablets of other drugs.

The Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department alone presided over and coordinated to arrest 19 violations, arresting 15 subjects (8 Vietnamese, 7 foreigners).

The seized exhibits include: 3.8 kg of heroin, 315 kg of cocaine, 10.3 kg of ketamine, 9395 ketamine tablets, 749 grams of methaphetamine, 62.9 kg of synthetic drugs (MDMA), 3.8 grams of other narcotics.