Trafficking, illegal transportation of drugs across Tay Ninh border gate

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Moc Tay border gate. Photo: ST

Disguisedin baggage

According to authorities, the smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods across Tay Ninh border, especially Moc Bai border gate, Xa Mat border gate and two sides of the border gates, have increased, especially drug smuggling. Drugs entering Vietnam across Tay Ninh were mainly heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine and synthetic drugs. Drugs were smuggled by increasingly sophisticated methods, such as being hidden in import and export goods, entry and exit baggage to deactivate scanners and trained dogs.

Recently, by supervising Moc Bai border gate, the authorities have discovered drug transportation cases in large volume from Cambodia across Tay Ninh to Ho Chi Minh City and some southern provinces for consumption. Typically, on December 2, by scanning baggage of a passenger named MIECH SREYNEANG, a Cambodian, Moc Bai border gate customs branch detected and seized 5kg of synthetic drugs. Similarly, on October 27, also at a scanning area of entry baggage atMoc Bai international border gate, the customs force inspected the baggage of a passenger named Hai Dieb, a Cambodian and detected 5kg of methamphetamine which was hidden.

According to Moc Bai border gate customs branch, in the two above cases, smugglers hired passengers to carry drugs from Cambodia to Vietnam to deliver to their partners in Ho Chi Minh City. The drugs were packed in nylon bags and covered in tape and hidden in the suitcase’s extra compartments to evade the supervision of authorities.

Earlier, deploying specialized case TN819 on November 21 and 22, 2019, the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department under the General Department of Customs coordinated with PC04 (HCMC Public Security) and Moc Bai border gate customs branch (Tay Ninh Customs) to seize more than 13kg of synthetic drugs hidden in car engine blocks from Phnom Penh to Vietnam.

Drugs hidden in luggage from Cambodia across Moc Bai border gate. Photo: T.D.

Coordination in anti-drug efforts with Cambodia

In order to prevent and handle drug smuggling lines and groups with large volume from Cambodia to Vietnam, Tay Ninh provincial authorities have implemented many specialized projects as well as enhanced coordination and inspection to grasp the local situation. In particular, Tay Ninh province signed coordination agreements with three provinces – SwayRieng, ThoungKhmum and Prey Veng (Kingdom of Cambodia) on the coordination of drug prevention and control on the Tay Ninh border. Thereby, contributing to stabilizing security on both sides of the border and promoting the friendlyrelations between the border provinces.

According to Tay Ninh provincial 389 Steering Committee, from 2016 to September 2019, Tay Ninh province’s authorities arrested and prosecuted 40 cases and 58 defendants involved in illegal cross-border transportation of drugs and seized 103.64kg of synthetic drugs. Typically, in 2017, the Tay Ninh provincial police in collaboration with the BaVet City Police, SwayRieng Province, the Kingdom of Cambodia expanded an investigation, seizing about 63,481 pills of synthetic drugs (weighing about 17kg) and handed over to BaVet City Police for handling.

A Cambodian woman who entered Vietnam was hired to transport drugs worth US$150. Photo: TD

In addition, Tay Ninh authorities and authorities in border provinces of Cambodia have made great efforts, maintained regular meetings and exchanged specific information and measures on the fight against drug-related crimes. Actively developing coordination plans and establishing contact. Through the representative of Border Liaison Office (BLO), Cambodia provided Vietnam with a lot of information on lines of drug trafficking and transportation from Cambodia to Vietnam. BLO BaVet and BLO Vietnam exchanged 10 valuable pieces of information on drug crimes, thereby arresting two cases andtwo criminals.

Drug trafficking through Tay Ninh Border gate warming VCN- During the last days of March, functional forces of Tay Ninh Province have destroyed many cases ...

According to the authorities, it is forecasted that smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and illegal cross-border transportation of goods will increase at the end of 2019 and the upcoming Lunar New Year due to the increasing purchasing power of the market serving year-end demand. The illegal transportation of banned goods (drugs, cigarettes, firecrackers) from Cambodia to Vietnam will increase during the upcoming Tet holiday. Tay NinhProvincial 389 Steering Committee said the 389 forces have been conducting the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2020.