Customs launches action month on drug prevention and control

Customs sector makes action plan for tobacco harm prevention

Drugs seized by Ha Noi and Police Customs.

Enhancing efficiency and coordinating in drug prevention

Following the direction of the Deputy Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 3426/VPCP-KGVX dated May 15 on the implementation of the action month on drug prevention and control 2023 (from June 1 to June 30, 2023) under the motto “Drastic and effective drug prevention and control, enhanced responsibility, proactive coordination - For a drug-free community”, the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) has directed units to implements relevant tasks.

Accordingly, the GDVC requires units to disseminate legal documents and directions of the Government, the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Finance, the GDVC on drug prevention and control, creating a communication campaign, conveying messages to raise awareness and responsibility of Customs officers as well as partners and enterprises engaged in import and export activities in drug prevention and control.

Strengthen the fight and suppressing drug-related crimes and controlling lawful drug-related activities in the customs control to prevent and combat. Focus on improving the effectiveness of the leadership and coordination between Customs authorities and relevant forces, especially the core force as the police in drug-related crime prevention and control.

The GDVC asks units to comprehensively implement the action month for drug prevention and control 2023, ensuring practical and economic efficiency and in accordance with the actual situation.

Focusing on key areas

The GDVC also requests units to publicize the Law on Drug Prevention and Control 2021, Decree No. 105/2021/ND-CP dated December 4, 2021, of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Drug Prevention and Control.

Units are asked to uniformly and effectively follow regulations, plans, programs, and warnings of the GDVC on drug prevention and control.

Promote and strengthen the dissemination of the law and knowledge on drug prevention and control for officials, civil servants, employees in units, enterprises engaged in import-export activities and the community about the consequences and effects of drugs, new drug substances and methods and tricks, illegal use, production, trading and transportation of drug substances, to raise the vigilance and self-denunciation of crimes to combat illegal drug trafficking and transportation activities in border and border-gate areas.

The GDVC assigns specific tasks to the GDVC’s Office, local customs departments, and customs branches to hang banners, posters, and slogans to respond to the action month at their offices and checkpoints.

Customs Magazine, Customs Portal (Department of Customs Information and Statistics), and Websites of local customs departments are in charge of increasing the number of news, articles, and reportages about drug prevention and control by the Customs.

Coordinate with local authorities, relevant organizations and departments to hold meetings and launch movements on drug prevention and control in line with the actual conditions and situations.

Promptly encourage and reward units and individuals who contribute outstanding work achievements.

Opening the peak to attack and suppress drug-related crimes

The customs enforcement force, the specialized force on anti-drugs and order customs braches in the whole Customs Sector are asked to effectively take measures and comply with customs inspection and supervision processes for exported, and imported goods and vehicles of entry, exit and transit at the customs checkpoints to promptly detect, prevent and handle cases of illegal trading and transportation of drugs and precursors.

Closely collaborate with specialized drug prevention and control forces to execute the peak period of combating drug-related crimes, focusing on key and complex routes and areas. In particular, coordinate in developing a plan for drug-related crime prevention in areas such as air routes, express delivery and a number of key areas and border gates. Regularly organize meetings to exchange information and collaborate in tackling cases, ensuring consistency.

Update, collect and analyze information on legal activities related to drugs, precursors, addictive and psychotropic drugs. Thereby, effectively identifying and planning to evaluate and manage enterprises, companies, factories, workshops, industrial parks and key export processing zones in the Customs control area; timely capture and forecast trends and risks of violations; promptly detect, handle, and prevent domestic drug production.