The information about drugs must be reported immediately to General Department of Vietnam Customs

In the early months of 2019, the amount of drugs was detected and seized by Customs sector was the largest amount ever before.

A representative of the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs) said the important objectives are coordinating with competent forces to prevent, detect and destroy transnational organisations on drugs, and stopping Vietnam from becoming a drug transshipment destination.

Proactively having timely measures to prevent and block weakness which allow drug criminals to take advantage of preferential policies on trade, investment, tourism, and precursor substance management in the industry, health, customs procedures and regulations for transporting drugs through customs management areas or taking vehicles, tools and precursor substance for drug production in the customs management and industrial park, export processing zone.

On the other hand, in implementing the plan, it is important to facilitate, individuals and enterprises in production and business activities, without affecting trade, production, investment and tourism activities, but ensuring the effectiveness of drugs and precursor substance enforcement.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs determined that anti- drug and enforcement is the task of the entire Customs sector, it is not only the task of specialised forces.

The work of anti-drug and detection must be strengthened and it is the responsibility of all customs officials to improve the effectiveness of drug enforcement; associated with synchronous implementation of customs enforcement measures and responsibilities of heads of units in the sector.

Regarding the receiving, processing and management of drug-related information, all information from foreign individuals and organisations and provided by police, border guards and Coast Guard forces or information of big cases, the director of the local Customs Department must immediately report to the General Department of Vietnam Customs (through the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department).

Meanwhile, the Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department is responsible for reporting to the General Department leaders in charge and the General Director for directing and mobilising forces and vehicles to serve prevention and combating. The seizure and handling of drug cases must comply with Decision No. 2005/QD - TCHQ dated September 30, 2011 of the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

To timely collect and process information from international cooperation channels, and to well perform internal protection, sovereignty and national security protection, the General Department of Vietnam Customs directed the leads which are pointed can be contact and exchange drug-related information with foreign organisations and individuals, and the exchange must comply with regulations on confidentiality and regulation of Customs sector.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs prohibits individuals and organisations to arbitrarily contact and transaction.