Hanoi Customs successfully closes large specialised project of drug, seizing six people

Exhibits of the case. Photo: N.Linh

The project EM620 has been chaired by Hanoi Customs Department since June 2020, in collaboration with forces including: Unit 5 of Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs), Division 7 - C04 Ministry of Public Security, PC04 of Hanoi Police, PC04 Police of Thai Nguyen, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa; Anti-Drug Enforcement Team of Nghe An and Thanh Hoa Customs Departments and two Customs branches (Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch and Hanoi Express Customs Branch).

This was a specialised project carried out by professional measures in coordination synchronously between the two forces of customs and police.

Through professional measures, authorities discovered five shipments transported from Germany to five provinces and cities: Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Binh Duong and Ha Tinh with suspicious signs.

During the investigation, forces temporarily seized six persons in the drug transportation line.

The confiscated exhibits included 18,697.55 grams (about 42-43,000 tablets) of synthetic drugs (MDMA); 393.34 grams of ketamine; 931.08 grams (in form of effervescent tablet) suspected to be drugs.

The case is being investigated by competent forces for further investigation law.

Synthetic narcotics were camouflaged in bottles of dietary supplements. Photo: N.Linh

According to the leader of the Express Customs Branch (Hanoi Customs Department), traffickers transport drugs from abroad to Vietnam via many routes. In particular when HCM City tightened management measures, seized many cases of illegal transportation of narcotics, the smugglers shifted to the north. Recently, the Hanoi Express Customs Branch detected and arrested a number cases of drugs.

The concealing and transporting tricks of smugglers were very sophisticated. They even camouflaged drugs in bottles of dietary supplements, made from abroad and transported into Vietnam. When arriving, it would be mix with some other items such as toothpaste, jewellery of individuals and organisations returning to Vietnam.

“In order to promptly detect violations, over the past time, Customs authorities have cooperated closely with competent forces in order to establish specialised projects, grasp key subjects and routes. Thus, on the basis, instructing officials who directly carry out professional operation to inspect and superve closely processes, timely detected and prevented,” the leader of the Hanoi Express Customs Branch said.