Close specialized project, seized more than 9kg of synthetic narcotics

Thousands of tablets of ecstasy hidden in gift were unmasked

On June 16, deploying the specialized project TE220, the Anti-drug Enforcement Team and HCM Express Customs Branch – HCM City Customs Department coordinated with Unit 6 – Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department – General Department of Vietnam Customs and PC04 – HCM City Police to inspect and seize more than 9kg of synthetic narcotics of MDMA (ecstasy) sent from the EU to Vietnam.

After more than four months establishing specialized projects and organizing to verify and monitor, the Anti-drug Enforcement Team and HCM City Express Customs Branch detected a number of foreign people having suspected signs of importing non-merchant articles containing narcotics from the EU to Vietnam via postal service and Express Delivery Centre.

Through verification of four imported packages relating to the above people, it showed that all the postal packages had fake addresses or no information about consignees according to the bill of lading. When monitoring goods that were not implemented clearance procedures like other imported shipments, those subjects had left the goods.

On June 16, 2020, Anti-drug Enforcement Team and HCM City Express Customs Branch coordinated with other competent forces to conduct physical inspection on four suspected packages. As a result, they discovered and seized a total of more than 9kg of synthetic narcotics in form of MDMA tablets (ecstasy), which were hidden inside chewing-gum packs and canvas bags.

Through the verification of Customs authorities, it showed that the subjects using the trick of contacting drug trading and payment via social networking sites, they could monitor the time of transportation and cargo clearance of competent forces in order to avoid responsibility if they were caught.

This is the second specialized project of drugs has been closed successfully from the beginning of 2020 until now. Previously, at the end of April 2020, HCM City Customs Department also inspected and detected over 18kg of synthetic narcotics of all kinds sent to Vietnam via express delivery services and postal services.

The case has been investigated and clarified by HCM City Customs Department and HCM City Police.

There are some pictures of this specialized project:

Drugs were hidden in the cloth bags

The subjects pressed drugs on two sides of tape

Tens of drug packs were taken out from the gifts

Each pack contained hundreds of tablets of ecstasy