Smuggled medicine for Covid-19 treatment discovered in gift parcel
![]() |
Smuggled medicine for Covid-19 treatment are seized by Customs in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.H |
Recently, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Team (Unit 3) - Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department, General Department of Vietnam Customs coordinated with HCM Express Customs Branch, HCM City Customs Department to inspect two imported parcels of goods in the form of gifts and donations, 266 boxes of medicines of all kinds (more than 3,000 tablets) were smuggled, which have therapeutic effects and support the treatment of Covid-19.
The above medicines were hidden in some personal items, such as clothes and confectionery.
According to customs officers, the two parcels containing the above smuggled medicines were sent from Russia to two recipients with addresses in HCM City. The parcels were imported by direct flight from Russia to Hanoi, then transported to Ho Chi Minh City.
Through verification conducted by customs officers based on the recipient's address, both the addresses shown on the parcels are bogus addresses.
"The local police had confirmed that the delivery addresses did not have any names as shown on the dossiers, and the delivery addresses are all bogus addresses," a customs officer of Unit 3 said.
Notably, the phone numbers shown on the consignee's records in Vietnam are incorrect. These are sophisticated tricks of the subjects to deny responsibility when competent authorities detect and seize the smuggled goods.
Besides creating the most favorable conditions for organizations and individuals to import goods for Covid-19 pandemic prevention, HCM City Customs Department cooperated well with anti-smuggling forces inside and outside the industry to strictly control import and export goods, promptly detect violations of the Law on Customs, especially smuggled medicine, contributing to ensuring safety for people's health.
Some pictures of the inspection of smuggled medicines:
![]() |
Two parcels contained smuggled medicines. Photo: T.H |
![]() |
Suspicious image checked by cargo scanning machine. Photo: T.H |
![]() |
Each parcel contains hundreds of boxes of medicine. Photo: T.H |
![]() |
Hundreds of medicine boxes are hidden and mixed with personal belongings. Photo: T.H |
![]() |
These drugs are sent from Russia to two consignees with addresses in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.H |
![]() |
All smuggled medicines for Covid-19 treatment are seized. Photo: T.H |
![]() |
![]() |
The Customs authority conducts a detailed tally of smuggled medicines. Photo: T.H |
Related News
![Anti-smuggling work has helped stabilize the gold market](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/25/22/mua-ban-vang-mieng2024053015033520240725222816.jpg?rt=20240725222817?240726081554)
Anti-smuggling work has helped stabilize the gold market
08:15 | 26/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Customs sector guarantees to accomplish target on assigned revenue collection](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/16/21/croped/02278db9cb1a6944300b2024071514313520240716214419.jpg?240717100322)
Customs sector guarantees to accomplish target on assigned revenue collection
10:03 | 17/07/2024 Customs
![HCM City Customs refunds over VND 49 billion of VAT for foreign passengers](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/12/10/img-99762023081713311220240712103142.jpg?rt=20240712103147?240715034406)
HCM City Customs refunds over VND 49 billion of VAT for foreign passengers
15:44 | 15/07/2024 Customs
![Quang Ngai Customs: nurturing source of revenues and striving to collect revenue exceeding target](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/11/09/croped/2801-img-251420240711095542.jpg?240718024831)
Quang Ngai Customs: nurturing source of revenues and striving to collect revenue exceeding target
14:48 | 18/07/2024 Customs
Latest News
![Ho Chi Minh City Customs seize infringing goods worth nearly VND2,700 billion](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/23/16/croped/img-23852024070410364020240723161033.jpg?240725092101)
Ho Chi Minh City Customs seize infringing goods worth nearly VND2,700 billion
09:20 | 25/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Customs busts 49 drug violations during peak month](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/24/15/croped/ma-tuy-ha-noi2024072111160920240724153534.jpg?240725091831)
Customs busts 49 drug violations during peak month
09:18 | 25/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Cao Bang Customs arrests a man for trafficking of 2 packages of heroin](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/24/10/croped/ma-ich-lam-2-banh2024072009542820240724103905.jpg?240724021241)
Cao Bang Customs arrests a man for trafficking of 2 packages of heroin
14:12 | 24/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Alarming increase in online trading of counterfeit cosmetics](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/23/15/92024071910322220240723155542.jpg?rt=20240723155546?240724092045)
Alarming increase in online trading of counterfeit cosmetics
09:20 | 24/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
More News
![HCM City Customs informed more than 7,000 businesses "escaped" to the HCM City Tax Department](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/23/22/croped/img-37002024071012060220240723225845.jpg?240724091740)
HCM City Customs informed more than 7,000 businesses "escaped" to the HCM City Tax Department
09:17 | 24/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Receiving a sentence of 10 years of imprisonment due to illegal transporting of ivory from Afirca to Hai Phong](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/22/14/croped/nga-voi-doi-tuong-hao-nhan-an-phat-10-nam-tu-giam2024071816040720240722143849.jpg?240723082524)
Receiving a sentence of 10 years of imprisonment due to illegal transporting of ivory from Afirca to Hai Phong
08:25 | 23/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Many smugglers of rhino horns and wildlife products imprisoned](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/18/16/82024071611254920240718163322.jpg?rt=20240718163326?240720095224)
Many smugglers of rhino horns and wildlife products imprisoned
09:52 | 20/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Drug-related crimes are having an unpredictable transformation](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/18/13/croped/92024071209095920240718130513.jpg?240719021632)
Drug-related crimes are having an unpredictable transformation
14:16 | 19/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Lao Bao Customs arrests a suspect illegally transporting gold worth more than VND2.1 billion](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/17/08/image0011372024071512255020240717085031.png?rt=20240717085036?240717100401)
Lao Bao Customs arrests a suspect illegally transporting gold worth more than VND2.1 billion
10:04 | 17/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![An Giang Customs: Preventing many cases of illegal currency transport and tax fraud](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/09/08/92024070210043720240709083833.jpg?rt=20240710142930?240713034158)
An Giang Customs: Preventing many cases of illegal currency transport and tax fraud
15:41 | 13/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![An Giang Customs: Preventing many cases of illegal currency transportation and tax fraud](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/09/08/croped/92024070210043720240709083833.jpg?240712094008)
An Giang Customs: Preventing many cases of illegal currency transportation and tax fraud
09:40 | 12/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Customs launches the Campaign on prevention crimes in forestry](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/09/14/croped/go-lau2024070815224120240709145510.jpg?240711094555)
Customs launches the Campaign on prevention crimes in forestry
09:45 | 11/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![HCM City Customs warns on new method of drug trafficking](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/09/10/croped/img-36632024062709032820240709101156.jpg?240709032520)
HCM City Customs warns on new method of drug trafficking
15:25 | 09/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
Your care
![Anti-smuggling work has helped stabilize the gold market](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/25/22/medium/mua-ban-vang-mieng2024053015033520240725222816.jpg?rt=20240725222817?240726081554)
Anti-smuggling work has helped stabilize the gold market
08:15 | 26/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Ho Chi Minh City Customs seize infringing goods worth nearly VND2,700 billion](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/23/16/croped/medium/img-23852024070410364020240723161033.jpg?240725092101)
Ho Chi Minh City Customs seize infringing goods worth nearly VND2,700 billion
09:20 | 25/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Customs busts 49 drug violations during peak month](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/24/15/croped/medium/ma-tuy-ha-noi2024072111160920240724153534.jpg?240725091831)
Customs busts 49 drug violations during peak month
09:18 | 25/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Cao Bang Customs arrests a man for trafficking of 2 packages of heroin](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/24/10/croped/medium/ma-ich-lam-2-banh2024072009542820240724103905.jpg?240724021241)
Cao Bang Customs arrests a man for trafficking of 2 packages of heroin
14:12 | 24/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling
![Alarming increase in online trading of counterfeit cosmetics](https://english.haiquanonline.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/2024/072024/23/15/medium/92024071910322220240723155542.jpg?rt=20240723155546?240724092045)
Alarming increase in online trading of counterfeit cosmetics
09:20 | 24/07/2024 Anti-Smuggling