Improving the control of drugs and precursors in the Customs sector

Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Luu Manh Tuong. Photo: Châu Long

It was a notable highlight of the 2024 Customs Sector Conference on Narcotics and Precursor Control, held on July 5th, 2024, in Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province. The conference was presided over by Deputy General Director of Vietnam Customs Luu Manh Tuong.

Deputy General Director Tuong highlighted that in recent years, the Customs sector has successfully organized several conferences to exchange experiences in narcotics control. These gatherings have provided a valuable platform to share knowledge, skills, and updates on this critical issue.

The 2024 conference brought together representatives from 7 departments, agencies under the General Department of Vietnam Customs and 23 provincial and city Customs Departments, totaling 134 delegates.

The conference brought together representatives from 7 departments, agencies under the General Department of Vietnam Customs and 23 provincial and city Customs Departments. Photo: Châu Long

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other regional and domestic agencies, the global drug trafficking situation remains complex and unpredictable, with the emergence of new synthetic drugs. The production, trafficking, and use of synthetic drugs and psychotropic substances are on the rise in most countries, posing significant challenges.

Asia has become a major market for synthetic drugs and psychotropic substances. In Southeast Asia, opium cultivation and production continue to increase, making the Golden Triangle a global hub for synthetic drug production. Recent seizures of cocaine from Latin America highlight the growing threat to Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, a country with extensive borders adjacent to China, Laos, and Cambodia.

Moreover, the formation of the ASEAN community, with its liberal policies and certain limitations in state management, particularly in the postal sector, has been exploited by drug traffickers. Additionally, the trend towards legalizing the use and circulation of certain drugs in some countries, including neighboring nations, poses a significant challenge to drug control efforts of competent forces including customs.

In the context of increased economic integration, the application of trade facilitation policies for import and export goods, along with favorable conditions for transportation and trade, has made Vietnam a target for drug traffickers seeking to smuggle narcotics across borders.

Nguyen Hung Anh, Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, General Department of Vietnam Customs, reported that drug trafficking in Vietnam remains complex across land, air, express delivery, and sea routes. Traffickers frequently change their concealment methods to evade detection.

Mr. Nguyen Hung Anh, Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, provided information on the drug-related crime situation in Vietnam. Photo: Châu Long

In response, the Customs sector has introduced innovative approaches and a proactive mindset in fulfilling its drug prevention and control duties. Through collaboration with other agencies and international cooperation, the Customs sector has achieved significant results in combating drug trafficking and controlling drug-related activities.

From 2020 to June 2024, the entire Customs sector seized 1,165 cases involving 1,310 individuals and nearly 8,730 kilograms of various drugs. In the first six months of 2024 alone, Customs forces, in collaboration with specialized forces, seized 183 cases involving 216 individuals and 1.2 tons of drugs, a 12% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Forecasting that drug trafficking across Vietnam's borders will continue to be complex and increase in various regions and across all routes, Deputy General Director Tuong emphasized that the 2024 conference provides an opportunity for agencies and officials involved in narcotics control to exchange information, experiences, and propose solutions to comprehensively assess the current situation and practices.

Over the two-day conference (July 5th and 6th), discussions will focus on four main topics: combating drug trafficking, coordinating the control of legal activities related to drugs, using specialized equipment and drug-sniffing dogs, and discussing a draft decision to replace Decision 3131/QD-TCHQ dated December 1st, 2021 on the procedure for detecting, preventing, and handling cases of illegal drug trafficking by Customs forces.

To ensure that the entire sector is well-informed, the key points and agreements reached at the conference will be communicated to all Customs units through a notification issued by the leadership of the General Department of Customs."