Express Customs Sub-department: Preventing a series of sophisticated drug trafficking cases

VCN - Clearing more than 5,000 import-export declarations every day, the Express Customs Sub-department - Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has raised its vigilance, promptly detecting and arresting many postal items containing drugs
Team 6 busts transactional drug trafficking cases Team 6 busts transactional drug trafficking cases
Ha Tinh Customs detects two drug trafficking cases Ha Tinh Customs detects two drug trafficking cases
Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs: Preventing many sophisticated drug trafficking cases Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs: Preventing many sophisticated drug trafficking cases
The package contained nearly 6 kg of cannabis-infused gummies.
The package contained nearly 6 kg of cannabis-infused gummies.

According to the Express Customs Sub-Department, there are currently 11 service businesses and 2 international postal businesses regularly carrying out customs procedures at the sub-department, with more than 5,000 import-export declarations/day.

Most customs procedures are carried out on paper declarations as prescribed in Articles 4, 5, and 6 of Circular No. 49/2015/TT-BTC dated April 14, 2015 of the Ministry of Finance, amended and supplemented by Circular No. 56/2019/TT-BTC dated August 23, 2019, and other relevant legal documents.

According to the Express Customs Sub-Department, currently, smuggling and drug crimes through traditional methods, on cyberspace, and in the express delivery sector, etc are showing a tendency to increase dramatically in both the number of cases and the volume of contraband.

Violators often take advantage of the development of the e-commerce sector, through the form of cash on delivery with fake names and addresses, and often export and import goods containing drugs through postal services, express delivery, etc., using many stages, carried out online to conceal their identities.

Recognizing that postal and express delivery services are often exploited by subjects to illegally transport drugs with sophisticated forms of mixing drugs into goods sent to Vietnam or exported abroad, the leaders of the Postal Goods Procedure Team; Express Delivery Goods Procedure Team proactively focused their forces, coordinated with the functional departments of the Sub-department to implement plans on drug prevention and control, and strengthen drug control.

In addition, the Express Customs Sub-department regularly exchanges information and coordinates with relevant agencies, such as: Drug Control Team - Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, Drug Control Team of the Southern Region (Team 6) - Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Customs), Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (PC04) - Ho Chi Minh City Police to promptly grasp the situation of routes, businesses, key goods, types of smuggling, illegal transportation of drugs, especially for the type of gifts from relatives from abroad to collect information, timely warnings of these functional forces.

Thereby, the department analyzed the methods of drug concealment that were discovered, updated them into image documents and experiences from actual arrests to train and disseminate to officers and civil servants to raise vigilance, skills in screening, analyzing images and identifying potential risks in methods and tricks of drug concealment, preventing drugs from entering the country, causing insecurity and social disorder. In addition, promptly warned civil servants in the team to pay attention to inspecting and strictly controlling imported goods from countries such as the US, Canada and Europe to detect suspicions of goods containing drugs.

Drugs cleverly hidden in puzzle boxes seized by Customs
Drugs cleverly hidden in puzzle boxes seized by Customs

With a high sense of responsibility, along with the close attention and direction of the leaders of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, the coordination of forces inside and outside the industry, the Express Customs Sub-department has achieved outstanding achievements in the fight against drug crimes. From the beginning of 2024 to now, the unit has discovered and arrested 6 cases of drugs hidden in cargo packages.

In many cases, thanks to effective coordination with the police, subjects participating in the illegal drug transportation ring were arrested. Typically, in May 2024, through checking the bill of lading number EA024056…; that did not show the sender; the recipient lived in Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City, the Express Customs Sub-department and coordinating units inspected and discovered nearly 8 kg of drugs disguised in 6 boxes of chocolate cakes.

From the above incident, the Express Customs Sub-department coordinated with PC04 to expand the investigation and verification. As a result, in more than 2 weeks, the police arrested 17 subjects and seized more than 50 kg of various drugs.

In addition, the Express Customs Sub-department also discovered a number of sophisticatedly drug-laced foods hidden in gift shipments. Typically, in early 2024, when checking gift packages sent from abroad to Vietnam via express delivery, the Express Customs Sub-department, Team 6 and PC04 coordinated to discover nearly 6 kg of gummy candies laced with cannabis active ingredients, etc.

It is forecasted that from now until the end of the year, the amount of import and export postal and express delivery will increase. The Express Customs Sub-department will continue to focus on solutions to collect and analyze information; Strengthen inspection and control to ensure timely customs clearance of goods, and to promptly manage and prevent violations, especially prohibited goods and drugs disguised in postal items.

By Le Thu/ Phuong Linh

Related News

Initiative to disseminate legal policies using QR codes

Initiative to disseminate legal policies using QR codes

VCN - By using a smartphone to scan the QR code created by the Lao Cai Border Gate Customs Branch (Lao Cai Customs Department), businesses can easily receive and update new legal documents related to import and export activities.
Preliminary assessment of Vietnam international merchandise trade performance in the first 9 months of 2024

Preliminary assessment of Vietnam international merchandise trade performance in the first 9 months of 2024

Highlights 1. According to trade statistics of Vietnam Customs, in September of 2024, a 8.0% downwards in total external merchandise turnover of Vietnam was recorded as compared to the result of August 2024. Exports went down 9.8 %, to USD 34.08 billion and imports decreased 5.9%, to USD 31.76 billion in terms of month-on-month basis. As a result, there was a USD 2.32 billion surplus in Vietnam’s trade balance in this month.
Preliminary assessment of Vietnam international merchandise trade performance in the second half of September, 2024

Preliminary assessment of Vietnam international merchandise trade performance in the second half of September, 2024

The Vietnam Customs Statistics announced that in the second half of September, 2024 the total Vietnam’s exports of US dollars 19.71 billion and imports of nearly US dollars 16.74 billion resulted in a trade surplus of US dollars 2.97 billion.

Latest News

Preventing e-invoice fraud amid e-commerce boom

Preventing e-invoice fraud amid e-commerce boom

VCN - The situation of illegal invoice trading is extremely complicated, especially in the context of e-commerce growing. This not only negatively affects legitimate businesses but also causes many other losses to the economy.
Joint efforts to destroy many big drug crime rings

Joint efforts to destroy many big drug crime rings

VCN - The Department of Drug and Crime Prevention and Control (Border Guard Command); the Department of Drug-related Crime Investigation (Ministry of Public Security); the Department of Professional Affairs and Law (Coast Guard Command) and the Department of Anti-Smuggling Investigation (General Department of Customs) organized a conference among specialized agencies in charge of drug crime prevention and control at the central level in 2024.
Summary of Project A724p: Effectiveness from coordination work

Summary of Project A724p: Effectiveness from coordination work

VCN - Project A724p against drug crimes was implemented under coordination among four specialized agencies in charge of preventing drug crimes. The agencies arrested 10 suspects and seized 211 kg of various drugs.
Fireworks, firecrackers "hot" again

Fireworks, firecrackers "hot" again

VCN - Every year-end, the smuggling and illegal transportation of prohibited goods tends to increase, especially fireworks and firecrackers. The seizures in recent days show that the illegal trading and transportation of fireworks and firecrackers is getting "hotter".

More News

HCM City Customs detects violations worth nearly VND 4.4 trillion

HCM City Customs detects violations worth nearly VND 4.4 trillion

VCN - In the first 10 months of 2024, the HCM City Customs Department uncovered nearly 2,000 violations, with the value of the seized goods estimated at nearly VND 4.4 trillion.
Strengthening efforts to combat smuggling and illegal pig transport

Strengthening efforts to combat smuggling and illegal pig transport

VCN - The General Department of Vietnam Customs has directed units to promptly inspect and reinforce measures to control and prevent smuggling, as well as the illegal transportation of animals and animal products, with a particular focus on pigs.
Combat cigarette smuggling in the context of increasing excise tax

Combat cigarette smuggling in the context of increasing excise tax

VCN - The increase in Special Consumption Tax (SCT) needs to ensure a reasonable roadmap to support domestic tobacco businesses to have time to adapt and stabilize production, thereby minimizing the negative impact on employment of workers in the entire value chain of the industry, ensuring social security.
VND 479 Billion contributed to state budget from violations handling

VND 479 Billion contributed to state budget from violations handling

VCN - From December 15, 2023, to October 14, 2024, market surveillance forces nationwide conducted inspections of 61,079 cases, uncovering and handling 41,725 violations.
Crackdown on counterfeit goods in e-commerce uncovers widespread violations

Crackdown on counterfeit goods in e-commerce uncovers widespread violations

VCN - Although the number of cases uncovered by the Market Surveillance Authority has decreased, the production and sale of goods violating origin, intellectual property, and food safety regulations—especially in e-commerce—have surged compared to last year.
Enforcement authorities busts 67, 000 cases and seizes about 10 tons of drugs

Enforcement authorities busts 67, 000 cases and seizes about 10 tons of drugs

VCN – Since 2022, enforcement authorities have tackled over 67,000 cases and seized over 10 tons of drugs and 7 million synthetic drug pills.
Solutions to prevent or fraud of origin and geographical indication violations

Solutions to prevent or fraud of origin and geographical indication violations

VCN - The Customs Magazine recently interviewed Nguyen Van Hoan, Deputy Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs), to discuss solutions for combating tax evasion, fraud of origin and geographical indication violations in the coming period.
Counterfeit goods in small e-commerce parcels challenge enforcement agencies

Counterfeit goods in small e-commerce parcels challenge enforcement agencies

VCN - The rapid growth of e-commerce has introduced significant challenges for authorities dealing with counterfeit goods. Counterfeit products, often concealed in small parcels sent through e-commerce channels, have become a prominent issue for enforcement agencies.
Ho Chi Minh City Customs: Preventing many cases of importing goods that violate intellectual property rights

Ho Chi Minh City Customs: Preventing many cases of importing goods that violate intellectual property rights

VCN - Many businesses importing goods that violate intellectual property rights have been detected and punished by Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department.
Read More

Your care

Latest Most read
Preventing e-invoice fraud amid e-commerce boom

Preventing e-invoice fraud amid e-commerce boom

VCN - The situation of illegal invoice trading is extremely complicated, especially in the context of e-commerce growing. This not only negatively affects legitimate businesses but also causes many other losses to the economy.
Joint efforts to destroy many big drug crime rings

Joint efforts to destroy many big drug crime rings

VCN - The Department of Drug and Crime Prevention and Control (Border Guard Command); the Department of Drug-related Crime Investigation (Ministry of Public Security); the Department of Professional Affairs and Law (Coast Guard Command) and the Department
Summary of Project A724p: Effectiveness from coordination work

Summary of Project A724p: Effectiveness from coordination work

VCN - Project A724p against drug crimes was implemented under coordination among four specialized agencies in charge of preventing drug crimes. The agencies arrested 10 suspects and seized 211 kg of various drugs.
Fireworks, firecrackers "hot" again

Fireworks, firecrackers "hot" again

VCN - Every year-end, the smuggling and illegal transportation of prohibited goods tends to increase, especially fireworks and firecrackers. The seizures in recent days show that the illegal trading and transportation of fireworks and firecrackers is gett
HCM City Customs detects violations worth nearly VND 4.4 trillion

HCM City Customs detects violations worth nearly VND 4.4 trillion

In the first 10 months of 2024, the HCM City Customs Department uncovered nearly 2,000 violations, with the value of the seized goods estimated at nearly VND 4.4 trillion.
Mobile Version