Hanoi Customs: Victories in drug crime attacks

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Drugs are detected in a shipment transported from Europe to Vietnam via air in early June 2022, at the Northern Hanoi Customs Branch. Photo: N.Linh

The highest number of drug seizures

Deputy Director of the Hanoi Customs Department Nguyen Truong Giang said the drug situation in the area is very complicated with many sophisticated and unpredictable tricks, especially in key routes and areas such as; Noi Bai international airport and express delivery. Faced with this situation, since the beginning of 2022, the Hanoi Customs Department has followed a plan set by the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Customs, coordinating with the authorities to, detect and seize drug trafficking cases.

"The number of drug cases, exhibits and suspects recorded wasthe highest ever," said a representative of the Hanoi Customs Department.

In fact, in the fight against drugs, the Hanoi Customs Department has closely worked with the police to quickly dismantle the drug lines and gangs.

Deputy Director General Nguyen Truong Giang said, Hanoi Customs Department has established five specialized projects (two special projects in collaboration with C04, the Ministry of Public Security; three special projects in collaboration with PC04, Hanoi Police). The unit handled 37 cases of illegal drug transportation, seizing 212 kg of drugs of all kinds and arresting 30 suspects. In the "Action Month on Drugs", Hanoi Customs Department coordinated with the police to handle 23 cases of illegal drug transportation, seizing nearly 50kg of drugs of all kinds, and arresting one suspect.

Hanoi Customs Department coordinated with the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (C04, Ministry of Public Security) and other authorities to bust a transnational drug ring between Germany to Vietnam via air in May 2022. So far, the Specialization Committee arrested 11 suspects in a drug trafficking line and seized more than 50 kg of synthetic drugs of all kinds. Through initial testimony, the suspects admitted their crimes.

Actively coordinating with other authorities

According to the leader of the Hanoi Customs Department, the above results were thanks to leaders in developing drug prevention and control projects, as well as regular coordination in training and fostering to raise awareness, responsibility, skills in detecting and identifying tricks to hide new drugs for customs officers, especially the sense of responsibility and qualifications of customs officers directly in charge of customs clearance, inspection through scanners, and physical inspection of goods.

In addition, coordination work plays an important role in detecting and seizing drug cases. The Hanoi Customs Department actively coordinated and assisted in drug detection through drug sniffers, sniffing dogs and drug assessment.

"The coordination, mutual support and exchange of information in fighting against drug cases has promoted efficiency,” said Mr. Nguyen Truong Giang.

In the fight against smuggling in general, Hanoi Customs Department has achieved many outstanding results in the first six months of 2022. The unit handled 370 cases of customs law violations, with a fine of VND10.94 billion, tax arrears of VND354 million; seized 14 smuggling cases; and issued a decision to prosecute three cases and transferred to the police agency another one case.

On March 17 and 18, the Customs Branch at Noi Bai international airport and the Customs Enforcement Team (Hanoi Customs Department) coordinated with Team 1, Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department (General Department of Customs) inspected a shipment transported from the Czech Republic through Turkey to Vietnam via Noi Bai international airport border gate, and detected 65,400 smuggled Covid-19 test kits.

On February 17, Hanoi Customs Department coordinated with other forces to detect a shipment transported from Korea to Vietnam via Noi Bai international airport, and seized more than 85,000 Covid-19 quick test kits of Korean origin, with an estimated value of over VND8 billion.

In April 2022, the Customs Enforcement Team, the Express Delivery Customs Branch of the Hanoi Customs Department coordinated with Team 7 of the Police Division for Corruption, Smuggling and Economic Crimes (Hanoi Police) and discovered a shipment consisting of two packages of 58.74 kg of seahorses imported from Indonesia.

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In order to promote the achieved results, Hanoi Customs Department further strengthen inspection and control for key commodities and closely coordinated with police, market surveillance, Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade and Hanoi City Steering Committee 389.