Customs proposes to put a chemical on the list of precursors for the first time

Threats from synthetic drugs produced from precursor substances

Suspect Vu A Ta and 17 packages of heroin seizedby Unit 5 (under the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department) on June 15 in Muong Bam commune, Thuan Chau district (Son La province).

Easily synthesized precursors into synthetic drugs

The leader of the Drug Enforcement Division-Division6 (under the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department of the General Department of Vietnam Customs) said that through searching and analyzing information related to import and export goods, the division detected and proposed the competent agency to put Hydroxylimine hydrochloride on the list of precursors.

Especially, this is the first time the Customs sector has proposed to put a chemical on the list of precursors and is approved by the competent agency.

An official of Division 6 said that there were some enterprises and organizations importing Hydroxylimine hydrochloride in the country. This is a chemical used in industry, butis also a precursor because after asimple heat treatment process, it will be processed into a synthetic drug called ketamine. However, this chemical has not been previously listed as a precursor and managed under Decree 82/2013 / ND-CP and Decree 73/2018 / ND-CP.

“With the high risk that Hydroxylimine hydrochloride may be used to make synthetic drugs, in 2018, the division proposed the leader of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department and the General Department of Vietnam Customs' leader to discuss with the police to submit to the Government to put this chemical on the list of precursors,” the leader of Division 6 said.

However, to put a new chemical on the list of precursors, many processes of testing, verification and assessment have been strictly conducted by competent and specialized agencies. Recently, in Decree 60/2020/ND-CP dated May 29, 2020 amending and supplementing the list of drugs and precursors issued together with Decree 73/2018/ND-CP, Hydroxylimine hydrochloride has been added to the list of precursors.

The leader of Division 6 said that the supplementation of Hydroxylimine hydrochloride on the list of precursors will enhance the efficiency of fighting drug offenses, especially in the management of precursors.

Preliminary update in the first six months, Customs tackled 60 drug-related violations.

It has seized nearly 190kg and nearly 170,000 pills of synthetic drugs; more than 17kg and 21 heroin packages; more than 18kg of marijuana; and nearly 9kg of ketamine.

Actively combat

Regarding the initial results in the performance of the peak month in the fight against drug-related crimes (June 2020), Nguyen Van Thuy, Head of Division 6, said that in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic in the first months of the year, however, the drug-related crimes havenot decreased due to the demand and profit of this item.

“Particularly challenging for the Customs force is the abuse of hiding drugs in import and export goods, means of entry and exit, and luggage of passengers on exit and entry by transnational crimes is increasingly complicated,”Thuy said.

Facing this situation, in the first months of the year, especially in the peak month of drug crime prevention, the leaders of the Ministry of Finance and of the General Department of Vietnam Customs requested the whole sector tostrengthen performance of synchronous and drastic prevention measures.

According to Thuy, in the peak month, following directions of the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Vietnam Customs, 100% of local customs departments have planned to combat drug offenses. In addition to the specialized drug control forces, there is also the active participation of officials performing operational activities to effectively control this dangerous crime. To mobilize the effective participation of officials performing operational activities, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has focused on the training in knowledge and skills on the detection of methods, tricks and signs of drug-related crimes.”

In parallel, the General Department of Vietnam Customs continued to focus on coordination with domestic competent forces and strengthening international cooperation.

The head of Division 6 said, through international cooperation, Vietnam Customs has proactively grasped, shared, exchanged and received valuable information related to international drug crimes for direct combat.

Along with that, Customs also focused on adding equipment; improve efficiency of using sniffer dogs in detecting and combating drug crimes.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thuy said that by implementing a series of synchronous and drastic measures, the Customs sector has increasingly demonstratedits role, initiative and efficiency in combating drug-related crimes.