Special point about two specialised projects on transational drug trafficking

Competent force inspected drugs in the specialised project EM620 in July 2020 at Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch. Photo: N.Linh

The airway and express delivery are “hot”

Specialised project EM620 conducted by Hanoi Customs Department (performed by Anti-drugs enforcement unit) on June 19was a large case of drugs with the participation of PC04 – Hanoi City Police, Unit 5 – Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs), Unit 7 – C04 of Ministry of Public Security and two Customs Branches including Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch and Noi Bai Express Customs Branch under the Hanoi Customs Department in coordination with PC04 of Thai Nguyen Police, Thanh Hoa Police, Nghe An Police, Anti-drugs enforcement team of Nghe An and Thanh Hoa Customs Department.

Looking back on the achievements, leaders of the Hanoi Customs Department assessed that the project EM620 has many suspects who bought, sold and transported drugs in many different provinces and cities in the whole coutry and the drugs were hidden by sophisticated tricks, packed in supplementary food pots and mixed with other goods then transported by air and express delivery from Germany to Vietnam.

Through investigation and verification process, the competent forces detected five consignments sent from Germany to five provinces of Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Binh Duong and Ha Tinh with suspicious signs and organised coordination to solve the case.

Implementing the plan, the leaders of the Hanoi Customs Department established specialised project EM620 in June. The project committee organised to solve the case in all five localities.

In Thai Nguyen, on June 30, the competent forces arrested Tran Viet Chinh (was born in 2003, at Pho Yen town, Thai Nguyen) and Hoang The Cong (was born in 1997, in Pho Yen town, Thai Nguyen). Seizing 993.65 grams (2,001 tablets) as synthetic drug (MDMA) hidden in 20 tubes (type of containing effervescent tablet pills).

In Nghe An, on June 30, the forces participating in the case detained Vu Thanh Long (was born in 1988, living in Hamlet 5, Nam Giang commune, Nam Dan, Nghe A, who already have one criminal record of possession of narcotics) and related subject Pham Thi Linh (was born 1985, residence at 73 Nguyen Truong To, block of Vinh Lac, Dong Vinh, Vinh city, Nghe An) and seized 11 plastic bottles (supplementary foods) inside containing colorful synthetic drug tablets (MDMA) with a total weight of 1,954.66 grams (about 4,000 tablets).

In the project EM620, many Customs and Police officials who participated in closing project were awarded merits by leader of Ministry of Finance and General Department of Vietnam Customs. Photo: N.Linh

Following the success in the two areas above, on July 1, in Thanh Hoa, the forces caught Nguyen Hoang Anh (born in 1996, permanent residence at number 381 Duy Tan, ward Nam Ngan, Thanh Hoa city, Thanh Hoa province). The confiscated exhibits consisted of 13 plastic bottles (supplementary foods) inside containing colorful tablets of synthetic drugs (MDMA) with a total weight of 2,432.81 grams (about 4,700 tablets).

With the consignment having the recipient's name in Binh Duong, on July 14, the Project Committee conducted physical inspection and seized 13 plastic bottles (supplementary foods) inside containing blue triangular tablets that were drugs (MDMA) with a total weight of 1,914.72 grams (about 4,200 tablets).

For the consignment with the recipient's name in Ha Tinh, on July 14, the project committee conducted physical inspection for the shipment, seized 58 plastic bottles (supplementary foods) inside containing brown square tablets that were drugs (MDMA) with a total weight of 11,401.71 grams (about 28,000 tablets).

Thus, in project EM620, the forces arrested three subjects and temporarily detained three subjects and seized 18,697.55 grams (about 42-43 thousand tablets) of synthetic drugs (MDMA).

The next drug case success in 2020 by the Hanoi Customs Department and other competent forces is DE920.

Revealing the trafficking line from Germany to Vietnam

After closing the project EM620 in June and July, by the end of August, the Anti-Drug Enforcement Team had gotten more information about drug trafficking. After being approved by the leaders of the department, the Anti-Drug Enforcement Team contacted related units to deploy professional measures for detecting suspicious shipments and propose to establish the DE 920 project on September 3.

Many Customs officials participated in the project EM620 were awarded merit by leaders of Ministry of Finance and General Department of Vietnam Customs. Photo: N.Linh

The specialised project DE920 was coordinated by the Hanoi Customs Department with the Drug-related crime investigation Police Department (C04)- Ministry of Public Security; Northern Anti-Drug Enforcement Unit (Unit 5), Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department - General Department of Vietnam Customs and related units.

During investigation, the forces discovered three consignments sent from Germany to Vinh Yen, Vinh Phuc (one consignment had the same recipient) and Nam Dinh (one consignment) having suspicious signs.

In the process of investigation, competent forces arrested three people involved in the drug trafficking lines and seized drugs in large quantities.

In Phuc Yen, Vinh Phuc on September 4, competent forces arrested Nguyen Xuan Tho, (born in 1974, lived at Dam Phu residential group, Tien Chau ward, Phuc Yen city, Vinh Phuc province). The confiscated evidence included 3,796.24 grams of brown tablets, one side printed with the letters (MB) which were MDMA synthetic drugs and 392.41 grams of ketamine.

In Nam Dinh, on September 7, the competent forces arrested Le Minh Hung (born in 1984, lived in 61 Minh Khai, Nam Dinh city, Nam Dinh Province) due to catching red-handed and Giang Hung Hung (born in 1986, lived in 2/30 group 18, lane Hoang Ngan, Ward Phan Dinh Phung, Nam Dinh city, Nam Dinh province). Exhibits seized were 3,596.88 grams of brown tablets as synthetic drugs of MDMA.

Additionally, in the DE 920 project, the competent forces arrested three subjects, seized 7,393.12 grams of MDMA drug and 392.41 grams of Ketamine.

The success of the two projects EM620 and DE920 in 2020 shows the synchronous and effective coordination of the two forces of Customs and Police. Leaders of the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs awarded certificates of merit to individuals and collectives with outstanding achievements in investigating, verifying and coordinating in closing the case of illegal transportation of narcotics from foreign countries to Vietnam.