Customs receives equipment for training for criminal prevention funded by UNODC

According to a representative of the International Cooperation Department, the training customs officials for improving capacity in the whole customs has been a focus of the General Department of Vietnam Customs. In particular, in the context that organised crime is increasing, the tricks have become more sophisticated, requiring customs officials to learn continuously, acquire knowledge and update methods and tools to support task performance in each field.

Over the years, cooperation between UNODC and the General Department of Vietnam Customs has always been practical and systematic, bringing significant benefits to the training of officials controlling ports who have professional skills. A typical example can be mentioned as the Container Control Programme cooperated between the two agencies.

With the strength in the prevention of transnational organised crime along with an expertised and experienced team, in the framework of cooperation between the two agencies, UNODC has had many supportive activities for Vietnam Customs to enhance risk management and customs enforcement. The support from UNODC is carried out in many forms such as training, raising awareness, surveying and exchanging experiences with countries in the region and funding work equipment of PCU's office as well portable devices for drug control.

Representative of International Cooperation Department, Vietnam Customs School and UNODC signed MoU and launched training room on investigation and criminal prevention. Photo: Ngô Dũng

In the series of cooperative activities, the UNODC has sponsored teaching equipment to the General Department of Vietnam Customs to bring the training of Vietnam Customs to reach the standard of WCO training centre with supportive equipment in direct and online training for Vietnamese Customs officials.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the training centre, a representative of Vietnam Customs School emphasised that an advanced and synchronous training centre with a full range of equipment, from laptops to televisions, audio equipment, projectors, tables and chairs sponsored by UNODC, located at the Vietnam Customs School has an important role in the school's development strategy from now to 2025. With the equipment of modern facilities for the training centre, it not only helps training courses and seminars to improve skills and knowledge of customs officials in the field of anti-smuggling and anti-drugs, but also helps lecturers increase their capacity to collect, analyse and share information related to seizure of exhibits, arrest of subjects as well as updating skills, experience in analysing trends and transportation routes and support to the coordination activities in the investigation of transnational organised crime networks.

Vietnam Customs School hoped to receive support from the UNODC about online lectures to contribute to diversifying forms of training of the school in the future.

The representative of UNODC, Nguyen Duc Long, National Officer of the UNODC Vietnam Border Management Programme, said that according to the report in 2020 of UNODC in Southeast Asia, organised crime continues developing complicatedly and tends to increase in the ASEAN region. With the organisation of training courses and seminars combined with the provision of tools and equipment, UNODC has helped countries strengthen inter-sector cooperation between enforcement agencies at the domestic border and international; improve skills and knowledge for staff; enhancing capacity to collect, analyse and share information to effectively assist in detecting and arresting violations in transnational organised crime networks.

In the future, UNODC will continue to support Vietnam through the provision of equipment, and the organisation of basic and advanced training courses. In particular, UNODC will coordinate with Vietnam Customs to organise these training courses.