Operation Mekong Dragon: effective initiative in fight against drug crime and illegal transportation of wild flora and fauna

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The leader of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department participates in the online conference to summarise results of the phase 2 of the operation. .Photo: T.Binh

Expanding scale and field

Operation Mekong Dragon co-initiated by Vietnam Customs and China Customs was launched in September 2018 and received great technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the WCO Asia/Pacific Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO A/P), and was participated in by six member customs administrations in the Mekong sub-region.

“Previously, states in the Mekong sub-region had a cooperation agreement on crime prevention and combat. Therefore, we thought why not launch a specific cooperation programme in the Customs sector. This will help enhance the role and position of Vietnam Customs in the region and the world,”- the leader of Division 2 (under the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department of the General Department of Vietnam Customs) said.

Promotion and implementation of initiatives stem from the situation of drug crime in Southeast Asia, especially in the Mekong sub-region, have been extremely complex in recent years.

According to the UNODC Global Drug Report 2018, the quantity of methamphetamine seized in Southeast Asia increased to a record, 700% higher than the quantity in 2008. Especially, the Golden Triangle in the region is still a huge hotspot for manufacturing synthetic drugs, heroin and growing opium poppies. The UNODC Global Drug report 2017 also showed alarming news there were nearly 190,000drug-related deaths. According to the survey by RILO, 67% of customs agencies in the region still consider the fight against drug crime as the first priority forcontrolling.

With the cooperation of member customs administrations and the support of the UNODC and RILO AP, phase 1 (ending February 2019) of the operation achieved positive results, the member customs administrations arrested 164 cases and seized nearly 2,230 kg of drugs.

Based on the success of Operation Mekong Dragon phase 1, UNODC agreed with Vietnam Customs and member customs administrations to continue implementing Operation Mekong Dragon phase 2.

“The results in the phase 1 showed that transnational criminal organisations involve many countries and territories outside the Mekong sub-region and the crime sector is not limited to drugs. Therefore, the co-initiating states and UNODC, RILO AP decided to expand its membership and add the content on the fight against illegal transportation of wild flora and fauna,” the leader of Division 2 said.

Consider the deployment of phase 3

With the great efforts by the member customs administrations, Operation Mekong Dragon phase 2 has achieved remarkable results.

Speaking at the online conference summarising the performance in Operation Mekong Dragon phase 2 (on November 12) as the co-chair of the initiative, Nguyen Hung Anh Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department said through the preliminary report, member customs administrations arrested a total of 284 cases of drug and wildlife trafficking; seised nearly 2,000 kg and 2 million drug tablets; nearly 2,000 kg and more than 1,500 wildlife products, nearly 150 tonnes and 1000m3 of precious wood.

Nearly 500 kg ketamine worth VND 500 billion seised by Customs in HCM city in 2019. Photo: L.T

“These figures showed that transnational criminal organisations have no intention of giving up or reducing illegal activities due to restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic. On the contrary, they seem to implement more sophisticated and reckless activities," Anh said.

In Vietnam, from the beginning of 2020 to now, Vietnam Customs has chaired and coordinated with competent forces to arrest 129 cases with 162 suspects, and seise more than 800kg and nearly 400,000 drug tablets.

The illegal trading and transportation of drugs by criminal organisations from foreign countries to Vietnam and transit to a third country for consumption continues to develop complicatedly and seriously.Transnational illegal trading and transportation of drugs take place on all border routes, land border gates, seaports, international airports and international post offices.

Anh said from practice in controlling the fight against smuggling and illegal transportation of drugs, wildlife as well as transnational crimes, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department appreciates the international coordination and the Operation Mekong Dragon is one of the typical examples.

Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (China Customs) Sun Zhi Jie highly appreciated the cooperation in the operation and suggested the member customs administrations continue implementing phase 3.

The representative of the UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Jeremy Douglas said amid the complex Covid-19 pandemic, the results of phase 2 showed the great efforts of the members and the importance of cooperation for the next phase, and UNODC will continue to support phase 3.

According to Anh, at the online conference, the member customs administrations did not have any objection to the continued implementation of phase 3 of the Operation Mekong Dragon. However, to do this, they must continue discussions to agree on relevant contents and submit to authorities for approval before implementation.