Criminals take advantage of establishing enterprises to illegally produce and transport drugs

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	Particularly dangerous criminals hook up foreigners to traffic drugs in the Northwest

Drugs transported from abroad to Noi Bai airport seized by Hanoi Customs in coordination with competent forces (June 2024). Photo: Ngoc Linh.

The number of prosecutions in the third quarter rises by 25%

According to the General Department of Customs, in September and the third quarter, the situation of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border remained complicated, with an increase in criminal violations.

At the land border areas of Vietnam - China, Vietnam - Cambodia, the situation of illegal transportation of goods and currency across the border increased.

The trading and transporting of goods without invoices or documents proving their origin is still complicated, especially for food, cigarettes, and tobacco leaves in the areas bordering Vietnam - China, Vietnam - Cambodia.

In the Northeast coastal area, trafficking of diesel oil without legal origin and poultry products has been increasing. In the Central provinces and the Vietnam - Laos border, illegal trading and transportation of gold, firecrackers, and white sugar is still a problem

In the face of the above situation, as an advisory agency, assisting the Standing Agency of the National Steering Committee 389, the Ministry of Finance's Steering Committee 389, the General Department of Customs has directed the entire sector to resolutely and synchronously deploy solutions to achieve positive results.

In the third quarter, the entire Customs sector handled 4,748 cases of violations of Customs laws, with an estimated value of infringing goods of VND 7,584 billion

The Customs agency prosecuted 10 cases, transferred 39 cases to other agencies for prosecution, rising by 25% in the number of prosecuted cases and 50% in the number of cases transferred to other agencies for prosecution compared to the same period in 2023; the amount remitted to the state budget was VND 141.1 billion.

In the first 9 months of 2024, the Customs sector handled 12,949 cases of violations of Customs laws, with an estimated value of infringing goods of VND 23,757 billion.

The Customs agency prosecuted 21 cases and transferred 128 cases to other agencies for prosecution; paid to the state budget VND 522.58 billion.

Seizing more than 3.3 tons of drugs in the third quarter

Regarding the drug crime situation, the Customs agency assessed that the activities of illegally buying, selling, and transporting drugs and precursors across the border are still very complicated.

Transnational drug crime gangs and rings take advantage of preferential policies, investment attraction policies and commercial activities to seek to establish enterprises in Vietnam to transport vehicles, equipment, raw materials, rent warehouses, etc to serve the production and illegal transportation of drugs from abroad into Vietnam and continue to send them to third countries for consumption.

In addition, imported precursors also pose a potential risk of being exploited, used to illegally produce drugs.

In the fight against drugs, in the third quarter, the Customs sector presided over and coordinated with the Police and Border Guard forces to seizes 62 cases, 80 arrests (of which the Customs sector presided over 18 cases), and detained 331.59 kg of various drugs.

In the first nine months, the Customs sector presided over and coordinated with the Police and Border Guard forces to seize 245 cases, 296 arrests (of which the Customs sector presided over 87 cases), and detained 1.64 tons of various drugs.