Recklessness in transnational drug trafficking cases

VCN - In the first months of 2021, transnational drug trafficking from abroad to Vietnam for consumption or transshipment to a third country is still a problem, especially via air, post, and express delivery.
Two drug traffickers arrested Two drug traffickers arrested
Car transporting drugs with logo of Vietnam Television Car transporting drugs with logo of Vietnam Television
Ha Tinh arrests man for drug trafficking Ha Tinh arrests man for drug trafficking
2047-5841-8-5558-ma-tuy
Drugs in a coffee can seized on April 26 by HCM City Customs Department in collaboration with the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department and the PC04 Division (HCMC Police). Photo: Le Thu

Air routes

The Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Customs) said recent seizures by Customs have shown that drug gangs in Vietnam and abroad have closely worked with each other to form transnational organized gangs operating with sophisticated methods and increasingly aggressive and reckless transportation tricks.

Drug gangs with foreign elements take advantage of seaports and air routes (including airports, post offices, express delivery) to illegally transport narcotics from abroad into Vietnam, partly for domestic consumption, and mostly for transshipment to third countries.

In addition, drug gangs take advantage of e-commerce activities, online shopping or trading via social networks for exported and imported goods and postal parcels to transport drugs by various means and methods such as: hiding drugs in exported and imported goods and luggage such as gifts, medicines, milk, supplementary foods, shampoos, shower gels, children's toys and then packing them or processing and hiding between the edges of packaging, in speakers, machinery, plastic beads or transporting drugs hidden in granite blocks.

Traffickers often use fake addresses to send goods or hire customs clearance agency services for goods as personal non-commercial gifts to refuse responsibility when detected.

It is alarming that the Customs authority has coordinated with other authorities to discover drug gangs using a new route (Vietnam to Korea) to carry large amounts.

On the sea route, organized crimes select businesses that have never broken the customs law to entrust the export to foreign countries and establish a bogus enterprise to export goods with sufficient export licenses. Accordingly, drugs are hidden in containers of production materials and export goods.

Recent typical seizures by customs have been related to the air route.

Most recently, on April 26, HCM City Customs Department worked with the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department and PC04 Division (Ho Chi Minh City Police) to inspect 16 suspicious parcels imported from the US, Canada and Germany as personal non-commercial gifts. As a result, a total of nearly 36kg of drugs of all kinds were seized, including MDMA tablets (ecstasy), marijuana and ketamine.

Previously, on March 25, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch (HCMC Customs Department) coordinated with HCM City Police to inspect an export shipment to Taiwan, declared as clothing, cosmetics, food and personal gifts. After inspection, the Customs force discovered 3,988kg of ketamine, worth more than VND4 billion hidden in cat food can and packages and nylon seals to look like 100% new products.

Efficiency in collaboration

According to the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, drug prevention and control of the Customs sector has always received the close attention and timely instructions of the Government, leaders of the Ministry of Finance, and leaders of the General Department of Customs and support and coordination of ministries and agencies.

Therefore, the drug prevention and control force of the customs sector always tries to overcome difficulties, strengthen the specialized force for drug prevention and control and sniffer dogs at key border gate areas.

At the same time, the customs actively coordinate with other forces of the Public Security, Border Guard, and Coast Guard to handle many special cases and successfully break many large inter-provincial and transnational drug gangs. Notably, the number of drug seizures increased, the volume of drugs per case increased, and the number of arrested traffickers also increased.

Moreover, the control of precursors at the import and export stage is always strictly managed by the Customs. The General Department of Customs has actively collaborated with other state management forces to control the source of precursors after being imported, used on the market or exported to other countries, thereby contributing to preventing the illegal use of precursors in drug production in Vietnam.

Car transporting drugs with logo of Vietnam Television Car transporting drugs with logo of Vietnam Television

Not only coordination within the country, the Customs sector also promotes international cooperation in drug prevention and control, thereby contributing to improving the efficiency in preventing and stopping transnational drug crimes with foreign elements. Notably, the implementation of the Mekong Dragon Campaign is jointly launched by Vietnam Customs.

By Thai Binh/ Huyen Trang

Related News

Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling for e-commerce products

Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling for e-commerce products

VCN – In 2025 and in the near future, the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) will strengthen inspection and control for imports and transportation of products traded via online applications, goods traded on e-commerce platforms and sent via express delivery service, Director of the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department Vu Quang Toan said.
Preliminary assessment of Vietnam international merchandise trade performance in the second half of November, 2024

Preliminary assessment of Vietnam international merchandise trade performance in the second half of November, 2024

The Vietnam Customs Statistics announced that in the second half of November, 2024 the total Vietnam’s exports of US dollars 16.9 billion and imports of nearly US dollars 15.73 billion resulted in a trade surplus of US dollars 1.17 billion.
Achievements in revenue collection are a premise for breakthroughs in 2025

Achievements in revenue collection are a premise for breakthroughs in 2025

VCN – Motivated by great efforts and effective implementation of solutions, as of December 10 the total State revenue from imports and exports saw a year-on-year increase of 13.8% to VND397,861 billion, meeting 106.1% of the estimate. The revenue us estimated to reach VND420,000 billion, meeting 112 % of the estimate, up 13.9% over the same period in 2023. The achievements in 2024 are a premise for a breakthrough in revenue collection in 2025.
Ministry of Finance stands by enterprises and citizens

Ministry of Finance stands by enterprises and citizens

VCN - This was the affirmation of Deputy Minister of Finance Cao Anh Tuan at the 2024 Dialogue Conference on Tax and Customs Policies and Administrative Procedures. The conference, jointly organized by the Ministry of Finance and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on December 10, attracted 530 enterprises from the northern region.

Latest News

Prevent counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms

Prevent counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms

VCN – Development of e-commerce has facilitated people but increased commercial fraud, especially counterfeit goods, goods infringing on intellectual property, goods of unknown origin.
At the end of the year, there is concern of counterfeit and smuggled goods entering into Ho Chi Minh City

At the end of the year, there is concern of counterfeit and smuggled goods entering into Ho Chi Minh City

VCN - Ho Chi Minh City is implementing many solutions to prevent smuggled and counterfeit goods from entering the market at the end of the year.
Rise in e-commerce violations sparks concern

Rise in e-commerce violations sparks concern

VCN - The increasing sophistication of violations in e-commerce operations is presenting significant challenges for regulatory agencies, with offenders employing advanced tactics to evade detection.
Lang Son intensifies crackdown on smuggling and trade fraud

Lang Son intensifies crackdown on smuggling and trade fraud

VCN - The end of the year marks a period of heightened smuggling and trade fraud activities along the Lang Son provincial border. In response, local enforcement agencies have ramped up inspections and controls to detect and prevent tax evasion, counterfeit goods, and smuggling operations.

More News

Numerous FDI enterprises face suspension of customs procedures due to tax debt

Numerous FDI enterprises face suspension of customs procedures due to tax debt

VCN - Several foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises in HCM City have been subjected to coercive measures, including the suspension of customs procedures, for overdue import-export and domestic tax liabilities.
Concerns over counterfeit goods in e-commerce and express delivery

Concerns over counterfeit goods in e-commerce and express delivery

VCN - The proliferation of counterfeit goods and intellectual property (IP) violations in e-commerce has become a significant challenge for businesses and authorities alike. This issue was highlighted at the seminar titled "Enhancing Cooperation to Combat Smuggling, Counterfeiting, and IP Violations," organized by Customs Magazine last weekend in Ho Chi Minh City.
Smuggling forecast for the Lunar New Year 2025  will be complicated

Smuggling forecast for the Lunar New Year 2025 will be complicated

VCN - This is the assessment made by the Steering Committee 389 of the Ministry of Finance during the peak of the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2025.
Tax authorities crack down on invoice fraud to legalize smuggled goods

Tax authorities crack down on invoice fraud to legalize smuggled goods

VCN - As part of efforts to combat smuggling and trade fraud during the Lunar New Year season, the Steering Committee 389 of the Ministry of Finance has instructed the General Department of Taxation to intensify enforcement against illegal practices involving fraudulent invoices and tax evasion.
Share experiences in crime prevention coordination between Customs and Police

Share experiences in crime prevention coordination between Customs and Police

VCN - On December 6, 2024, the General Department of Customs and the People's Police Academy co-organized the scientific workshop "Improving the effectiveness of coordination between the People's Police force and the Customs force in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and drugs at border gates and border areas in the new situation".
Challenges in preventing counterfeit goods and intellectual property violations in e-commerce

Challenges in preventing counterfeit goods and intellectual property violations in e-commerce

VCN - The open sale of counterfeit goods, items with unclear origins, and intellectual property (IP) infringing products on e-commerce websites has become a growing trend.
Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling during Lunar New Year

Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling during Lunar New Year

VCN – Smuggling and trade fraud activities are forecast to take place more complicated on routes, areas and cyberspace due to high consumer demand during the Lunar New Year.
Counterfeit and intellectual property infringing goods are becoming more sophisticated

Counterfeit and intellectual property infringing goods are becoming more sophisticated

VCN - In recent times, several containers of counterfeit goods imitating well-known brands and violating intellectual property (IP) rights have been intercepted by Customs authorities at border checkpoints. In an interview with Customs Magazine, Vu Hoai Linh, Deputy Head of Intellectual Property Rights Protection Enforcement Unit (Unit 4) under the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, shared critical solutions to combat and prevent these violations.
Mong Cai: Smuggling concerns amid sluggish business activities

Mong Cai: Smuggling concerns amid sluggish business activities

VCN - Amid a noticeable slowdown in business activities, the Customs Enforcement Units of the Quang Ninh Customs Department in Mong Cai City are stepping up their efforts to combat smuggling, ensuring the area does not become a hotspot for illicit trade.
Read More

Your care

Latest Most read
Prevent counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms

Prevent counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms

VCN - Over the past time, the number of violations and handling in the e-commerce environment has constantly increased, with the nature of violations and complicated developments.
Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling for e-commerce products

Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling for e-commerce products

VCN - In 2024, the preventing and combating smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods across the border have gained remarkable achievements.
At the end of the year, there is concern of counterfeit and smuggled goods entering into Ho Chi Minh City

At the end of the year, there is concern of counterfeit and smuggled goods entering into Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City is implementing many solutions to prevent smuggled and counterfeit goods from entering the market at the end of the year.
Rise in e-commerce violations sparks concern

Rise in e-commerce violations sparks concern

The increasing sophistication of violations in e-commerce operations is presenting significant challenges for regulatory agencies, with offenders employing advanced tactics to evade detection.
Lang Son intensifies crackdown on smuggling and trade fraud

Lang Son intensifies crackdown on smuggling and trade fraud

The end of the year marks a period of heightened smuggling and trade fraud activities along the Lang Son provincial border. In response, local enforcement agencies have ramped up inspections and controls to detect and prevent tax evasion, counterfeit good
Mobile Version