High-risk of foreigners colluding with drug traffickers to produce drugs in Vietnam

	Ha Tinh Customs arrests two suspects transporting 52 kg of drugs
	Exposing methods of hiding drugs and contraband goods through Cha Lo international border gate

Drugs seized by C04 in 2024. Photo: C04

There has been no large-scale illegal drug production

According to C04, currently, only few cases of illegal drug production with simple methods have taken place in the country. There has not been any complicated and large-scale cases that requires laboratories and the procedures with high qualifications in pharmaceutical chemistry and other natural sciences.

In 2024, the enforcement authorities have not detected any illegal production of semi-synthetic and synthetic drugs nationwide.

However, there is high-risk that Chinese and Taiwanese (China) subjects collude to implement illegal production of synthetic drugs in the country.

Between the beginning of the year and the end of November, the police has arrested, tackled 156 cases and 136 subjects.

The Police prosecuted 28 cases and 32 subjects, fined 101 cases and 103 subjects, destroyed 26 cases of plants containing drugs.

On November 15, 2023, Vung Tau City Police (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) arrested some subjects for trafficking and illegally storing drugs in the city.

Expanding the investigation, Vung Tau City Police issued a decision to prosecute the case and prosecute Mai Tien Dung for illegal drug production.

On September 15, 2023, Mr. T.Q.D in Khanh Hoa handed over 20.1 kg of dried herbs laced with drugs and reported to the Police.

Khanh Hoa Provincial Police conducted an inspection and search of the residence of Do Ngoc Tung (residing in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa) showing signs of illegal drug production.

The seized evidence included: 83 kg of MHMB-4en-Pinaca drugs and 174.3 kg of MDMB - Fubinaca drugs along with many machines, tools, chemicals, and raw materials for illegal drug production.

Khanh Hoa Provincial Police have prosecuted the defendant for drug trafficking.

On March 2 and 3, 2024, Khanh Hoa Provincial Police arrested 2 subjects, seized 7.97 kg of dried herbs containing drugs, liquids, powders and means and equipment including electronic scales, electric stoves, pots, basins, pots, rackets, funnels... to spray drugs into dried herbs.

On April 9, 2024, in Nhan Hue commune, Chi Linh city (Hai Duong), C04 presided over and coordinated with PC04 (Hai Duong Provincial Police) to tackle the case 034N, arrested 4 suspects, and seized 10 kg of opium.

Methods and tricks are increasingly sophisticated

C04 predicts that in the coming time, the illegal drug production will have many complicated developments, posing many risks and challenges for enforcement forces in the fight against and prevention of drugs.

The methods and tricks of the suspects will become more and more sophisticated, use cyberspace to establish groups to instruct the illegal production of drugs in the country and abroad.

In order to deal with the enforcement, the subjects divide the production stages into small stages from collecting to storing precursors, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, and equipment in many different places.

The subjects have hired industrial parks, warehouses, old factories or those far from residential areas to illegally produce drugs.

They take full advantage of border areas, remote areas with difficult access, and soil and climate conditions to grow plants containing narcotic substances...

According to C04, in order to combat the crime, it is necessary to effectively coordinate drug prevention and control among sectors and forces such as: Police, Industry and Trade, Health, Agriculture and Rural Development, Border Guard, Customs...

Maintain regular situation monitoring, exchange information, proactively advise leaders at all levels to develop plans to prevent and promptly handle situations occurring in the area.

Strengthen inspection and management of production and business establishments using drug precursors. Strictly manage the output of precursors that can be used for illegal drug production.

Develop a plan to comprehensively review companies, businesses, and establishments related to the import and export of precursors and chemicals; actively detect companies that import and export illegal precursors and chemicals...

Continue to develop programs and plans to prevent and combat the cultivation of plants containing narcotic substances; focus on reviewing and managing areas at risk of growing plants containing narcotic substances.