Customs seizes more than 1.6 tonnes of drugs and 180,000 synthetic drugs pills

	More than 7 kg of synthetic drugs seized in imported gift packages
	A seizure of three tonnes of drugs and the survival war
	Nearly 2kg of ecstasy were hidden inside induction hob and folding bag

Director of the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department Nguyen Phi Hung answered questions reporters. Photo: NQ

Drug crime is crime of all crimes

Director of the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department Nguyen Phi Hung chaired the press conference.

Answering reporters’ questions about drug transportation across border gates in recent times, Hung said drugs crimes are transnational crimes, so to transport drugs, smugglers must transport across border gates including tracks and trails, via border roads, seaways and airways.

“Drug crime has an international nature and all other kinds of crimes stem from this crime, so it has sophisticated organisation and the most dangerous level. Therefore, they have many sophisticated tricks to implement transnational drugs transportation,” Hung said.

Drug transportation from the Golden Triangle to Thailand and Laos into Vietnam to transport to a third country across Vietnam-Laos Border area in the Central region and Vietnam-Cambodia Border in the Southern region is complicated.

A reporter at the press conference. Photo: N.Q

During performing tasks, Customs authorities detected many tricks used by drug criminals.

Some criminals are abusing preferential policies, attracting investment and establishment of enterprises to transport means, equipments, materials and renting warehouses for productions and illegal drug transportation from foreign countries to Vietnam and the transport to a third country for consumption.

They abuse preferential policies of the State in Customs clearance for import and export goods, luggage, and means of transport on exit and entry to hide drugs.

For goods and means of transport in transit, drug criminals regularly abuse customs management policies that only supervising goods from entry border gates to exit border gate and not implement Customs inspection to hide drugs in goods.

Drug criminals regularly abuse the regime of temporarily imported for re-export to hide drugs in containers and transport drugs from abroad into Vietnam, then ship to a third country for consumption.

For goods sent via express delivery, criminals take advantage of this method to transport drugs and precursor chemicals by falsely declaring the name and address of consignee and consignor, name of goods and blending drugs and precursor chemicals in drinks, cosmetics, perfumes, food, cigarettes, dry tea, coffee, shrimp sauce, oil and other powders.

Nearly 500 kg of ketamine valued at 500 billion VND seized by Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and the Investigation Police Department on Drug-related Crimes (C04) on May 11. Photo: T.H

Reaching record in drug seizures

According to Hung, facing the complicated developments in drug-related crimes and directing by leaders of Ministry of Finance and coordination by competent forces including Police, Border Guard, Customs has tackled many special cases and destroyed many transnational drug crime gangs, uncovered many cases of trafficking and illegal transportation of drugs in borders and border gates and seized thousands of kilograms of drugs.

From July 2018 to now, the anti-drug force of the Customs sector has led and coordinated with relevant competent forces to arrest 91 people.

They have seized more than 1.6 tonnes of drugs and nearly 180,000 synthetic drug tablets, reaching a record in drug amounts seized by the Customs force.

The amount includes 218kg of heroin, 30kg of opium, 725kg of crystal methamphetamine, 127.6 kg of cocaine, 502 kg of ketamine and 40.6kg of marijuana.

Particularly, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department has coordinated with competent forces to tackle 20 special cases, arrested 22 persons, seized 346.72kg of crystal methamphetamine, 127.6 kg of cocaine, 142. 8 kg of heroin, 502.1 kg of ketamine and tens of thousands of synthetic drug tablets.

These results are due to the attention and direction of leaders of Ministry of Finance, especially Minister Dinh Tien Dung, Director General of Vietnam Customs and great efforts of units and staff specialising in this field.

In addition, it was brought by the close and effective coordination of competent forces in the country and effectively implementing training courses to improve qualifications and active participation in international activities.