Tan Son Nhat Airport Customs commended for crackdown on smuggling

Mr. Dang Van Dung, Deputy Director of the Permanent Office of the National Steering Committee 389, spoke at the meeting.

On December 20, 2024, a delegation led by Dang Van Dung, Deputy Director of the Permanent Office of National Steering Committee 389 and Deputy Head of Task Force KH111, conducted a survey and inspection at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

At the same time, making assessment of the implementation of Plan No. 111/KH-BCĐ389 (November 2022–November 2024) and the rollout of Plan No. 133/KH-BCĐ, aimed at intensifying anti-smuggling efforts before, during, and after the 2025 Lunar New Year.

During the meeting, representatives of the Tan Son Nhat Customs Branch reported that the airport ranks among Vietnam’s busiest international gateways, handling large volumes of passengers and cargo. Despite heightened scrutiny, smugglers continue to adopt sophisticated methods such as concealing goods, falsifying sender and recipient information, and misdeclaring items to evade taxes and duties.

Drug trafficking, in particular, remains a pressing issue, with criminals employing increasingly complex tactics to bypass detection.

Thanks to synchronous implementation, over the two-year period from November 22, 2022, to November 22, 2024, the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch detected and handled 738 violations, collected nearly VND8 billion in fines and penalties, and seized 150 kilograms of various narcotics across 50 drug-related cases, which were transferred to PC04—Ho Chi Minh City Police for further investigation and prosecution.

Working group conducts survey at Tan Son Nhat International Airport

While commending the customs branch, leaders of Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch acknowledged several challenges as follow:

Violators continue to exploit the Government's streamlined policies on import-export activities, particularly regarding goods declared as gifts or presents. Their tactics often include using fake or unclear sender and recipient information, refusing to claim shipments when authorities initiate inspection measures, making investigations and enforcement actions more challenging.

Currently, there are no specific penalties for logistics service providers or import-export companies found to be involved in the illegal transportation of drugs and precursor chemicals.

Additionally, enforcement agencies face budget constraints that hinder their ability to cover costs related to forensic testing of seized items, and compensate passengers in cases where inspections do not result in violations.

Recognizing these challenges, the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch has proposed several measures to address these gaps and further enhance the effectiveness of anti-smuggling and anti-trade fraud efforts in its jurisdiction.

Speaking at the meeting, Dang Van Dung praised the customs branch for its proactive planning and effective implementation of Plan No. 111/KH-BCĐ389, highlighting the unit’s success in drug prevention efforts.

"The Tan Son Nhat Customs Branch has demonstrated professionalism and close coordination with other enforcement agencies. Their integrated approach to intelligence sharing and joint operations has yielded high-quality, reliable information for anti-smuggling and drug prevention efforts," Dung stated.

He urged the branch to continue implementing specialized plans to combat smuggling and trade fraud, including Plan No. 133/KH-BCĐ389 targeting violations during the 2025 Lunar New Year; enhance inter-agency cooperation to streamline enforcement and maintain vigilance in addressing emerging threats.