Dong Thap Customs seizes cigarettes on the river

Contraband cigarettes seized by Dong Thap Customs Department.

According to the Customs Enforcement Team, the team has strengthened implementation of operational measures and worked with competent agencies to promptly prevent and seize many cases of smuggled goods transported inland for consumption, especially cigarettes.

From 27 to 31 July, the team coordinated with the police forces of Hong Ngu district and Hong Ngu Town to tacklesix cases, with a quantity of 7,720 packs of cigarettes and value of more than VND 100 million.

Notably, the seizure of contraband cigarettes floating on the river took place onJuly 31, at Hoa Loi pagoda area of Group 7, hamlet 1, Thuong Lac commune, Hong Ngu district, Dong Thap. The team and police of Thuong Lac Commune detected five PP bags on the river containing 1,320 packages of foreign cigarettes.

Earlier, the team workedwith the police of of Thuong Lac Commune to control the Route DT 841 of Tra Du Hamlet, Thuong Lac Commune and detected a man waiting for a bus and carrying many PP bags of good. The working team askedhim to inspect. However, this suspect fledand left the PP bags. The working team inspected and detected 1,400 packs of cigarettes inside four PP bags and 400g of sugar inside 11 PP bags.

According to the team, the smuggled cigarettes in six seizures were hidden inside paper boxes and PP bags on theroadside or floating on the river to transport inland for consumption.

The owners of these smuggling cases cannot be arrested because they fledand did not receive the goods.