Many drug cases have been destroyed in the peak months

	HCM City crack down on smuggling
	Government targets smuggled and counterfeit goods
	The Customs has seized 2.5 tons of transnational drugs

Customs officers use sniffer dogs to check the parcels containing drugs. (Photo: T.H).

Smuggling of nearly 3 tons of Khat leaves

On July 12, Anti-drugs Enforcement Team, HCM City Customs Department disclosed information about the arrest of nearly 1.9 tons of Khat leaves by post. According to the Anti-drugs Enforcement Team, HCM City Customs Department, the implementation of Plan No. 31/ KH-KSMT on May 16, 2016 of the Anti-drugs Enforcement Team for June 2016, the Team in collaboration with the Customs Express Postage Branch seized 1,865 kg of Khat leaves illegally imported through HCM City post office.

According to the Deputy team leader of the Anti-drugs Enforcement Team, Mr. Huynh Nam, through the planned gathering of information, the Anti-drugs Enforcement Team in collaboration with Team 3 - Customs Express Postage tracked 2 companies and a dozen of individuals importing dried leaves from Kenya and Ethiopia containing Cathinone and Cathine ( a narcotic drug under the provisions of Decree 82 / 2013 / ND-CP of the Government on July 19, 2013 issuing the list of drugs) declared as non-commercial gifts including green tea, herb leaves, black tea, etc.

Based on test results of 129 parcels imported through HCM City Post Office from these organizations and individuals in June, 2016, and conclusions of the Criminal Science Institute (C54) – the Ministry of Public Security, the Anti-drugs Enforcement Team conducted 19 minutes of the violations, seized 1,865 kg of dried leaves that contained Cathinone and Cathine (commonly known as Khat leaves).

Thus, up to June 30, 2016, in the process of implementing Plan No. 31 / KH-KSMT, the Anti-drugs Enforcement Team in collaboration with the Customs Branches to inspect and seize a total of more than 2, 8 tons of illegally imported Khat leaves through Tan Son Nhat International Airport of and HCM City Post Office.

Successfully destroying the ring of drugs

On June 9, the Customs Branch of Tan Son Nhat International Airport - HCM City Customs Department in collaboration with the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department (C47) and Divison of Anti-Smuggling Investigation (PC47) in collaboration with Tan Son Nhat police successfully destroyed a drug ring. The authorities tracked a ring of shippping cocaine on a large transnational scale over a long time and seized Mr. Coetzee Tyron Lee, a 32 year-old South African on a flight from Doha to Ho Chi Minh City. By the professional measures, the authorities discovered some hidden cocaine in nylon bags, the luggage, food and personal items. More than 1.7 kg of cocaine was seized. Through initial testimony, due to the hardship, he accepted to transport cocaine to get 3,500 USD. This number of cocaine was expected to be transported to the US with an estimated value of 300,000 USD.

Anti-drug Enforcement Team- HCM City Customs Department has coordinated with the Department of C47B and A87 – the Ministry of Public Security to check, arrest an illegal case of exporting drugs with new tricks. This consignment containing drugs was sent via an international express postage company in HCM City to send by air, including 1 parcel with a total of 20 units Yokohama motorcycle tires, weighing 13.5 kg and pending procedures for exporting to New Zealand. On each tires, working groups detected a cut from 3 to 4 cm, patched with adhesive closure, when using the hands to squeeze into the tires, the team felt there was the powder inside. The team found in the 20 motorcycle tires, there were a total of 4.5 kg of narcotic drugs. According to the Anti-drug Enforcement Team, these tricks to hide drugs in motorcycle tires were new tricks of crimes to deal with the authorities.

According to the Director of Customs Branch of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, to support "the peak month in drug prevention", over the past month, the Customs Branch of Tan Son Nhat International Airport arrested and prevented the illegal transportation of 1,2 tons of Khat leaves containing cathinone from Africa, 3 kg of heroin exporting to Australia, 3 kg of narcotic stone from Africa and 2 kg of cocaine hidden in the belly of an eagle from South America to Vietnam.

Potential drug crime

According to Colonel, Mr. Le Thanh Liem, Deputy director of the Anti-drugs Enforcement Department – the Ministry of Public Security, the international drug networks via sea transport and air transport were primarily from Vietnam to foreign countries, or gathered in Vietnam to transport to the 3rd country for consumption.

Customs detected 353 violations by air VCN- In the first 6 months of 2016, the Customs sector has lead and coordinated arrests in ...

The criminals were mainly foreigners or Vietnamese people residing abroad, with shipping tricks increasingly sophisticated. In order to fight effectively, we need coordination among the forces to strengthen international cooperation in the fight against drug crimes.