An Giang border is “hot" with drug crimes

	An Giang Customs: revenue collection achieves over 80% of target
	An Giang Customs - Border Security join hands to maintain border gate security
	Drug trafficking operates complicatedly in the border area of An Giang

Area of Dong Ky - KhanhBinh ferry wharf, where crimes often occur. Photo: T.H.

Breaking the biggest drug ring in An Giang

We were on the An Giang border after a large drug haul from Cambodia to Vietnam through Khanh Binh border gate area was seized by anti-smuggling forces, including Team 6-Department of Anti-Smuggling Investigation - General Department of Customs; An Giang Customs Department, C04- Ministry of Public Security, PC04- Police Department of An Giang Province, Group 3 - Border Guard Command, Coast Guard. The work of patrol and control on the border, especially open areas and rivers are continuing to be controlled by functional forces.

As a member of the above-mentioned National Committee on Drug Abuse Service, An Giang Customs officials said that the drug bust in the Khanh Binh border is the biggest of its kind. Speakingabout the case, the Customs officials said that after many days of reviewing suspects, on the afternoon of April 13, forces discovered Du Quoc Cuong (born in 1990, residing in Hong Bang, Tan Lap, Nha Trang city, KhanhHoa province) and Trinh Cong Nghia (born in 1978, residing in Long Binh town, An Phu district, An Giang province) in a caron the border. They were acting suspiciously so were followed by officers. When both suspects passed Dong Ky wharf, Quoc Thai commune, An Phu district (An Giang), they were taken by the Working Group to seize material evidence including: 22,000 synthetic drugs (8.2 kg) and 18.4 kg of other narcotics.

According to customs officers, the subjects in this drug ringare very active. They often cross the Cambodian-Vietnamese border but do not pass through the border gate area, they travel by boat on the river at Dong Ky wharf, Quoc Thai commune, An Phu district (An Giang). It‘s about 4 km from KhanhBinh border gate.

Du QuocCuong repeatedly traveled between Vietnam and Cambodia but did not deliver the goods. On April 13, the delivery of drugs was carried out. Therefore, the Project Committee has organized follow-up and recovery for a long time to organize the arrest of the suspects and seizure of all drugs.

Expanding the investigation, the specialized committee has arrested 6 people and seized more than 30 kg of various drugs.

Suspectsand drugs seized in An Giang.

All drugs seized on the An Giang border on April 13. Photo: T.H.

"Hot" on the border

Following the customs officers who control the border area of ​​KhanhBinh border-gate, our reporter noted that the area's terrain is rugged.Between Vietnam and Cambodia with the common border of the Hauriver, there are many wharfs bringing peopleand goods back and forth without checks by functional agencies.

Along these rivers, there are many warehouses, which are often taken advantage of by the suspectsto transport illegal goods into this warehouse and bring theminland. The transport of more than 26 kg of drugs mentioned above was also done in this way.

According to the Steering Committee 389 of An Giang province, drug crimes continue, with the methods used becomingincreasingly reckless and sophisticated, so the struggle is getting more difficult.

The functional forces have discovered many organizations, trafficking rings andillegal transportation ofnarcotics from Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces to An Giang province for consumption and transfer to other places; the suspectstake advantage of the road system, transporting and sending goods by mail, and businesses (discos, bars and homes) to act as a place for the transaction. Functional forces actively fought this type of crime.

In addition, the number of drug addicts in the province is increasing, the effectiveness of detoxification process is not sufficient, especially for drug addicts, thus creating a large demand for drugs.

It is also one of the major challenges for the fight against drugs of the forces in the province. Currently, AnGiang province is managing 5,352 drug addicts, only 7/156 communes, wards and towns have not detected drug-related crimes. In particular, the number of drug addicts in 5 border districts, towns and cities increased, making the border area of ​​this province a hot spot for drugs.

Mr. Tran QuocHoan, Director of An Giang Customs Department said that after many big drug cases were discovered and stoppedin Ho Chi Minh City and some southern provinces, leaders of An Giang Customs Department warned that there will be an increase in drug crimes on the An Giang border, especially the KhanhBinh border area, so that customs forces should pay special attention and take effective measures to prevent them.

When the functional forces successfully broke down the transport of drugs from Cambodia to Vietnam, the leaders of An Giang Customs Department instructed the professional teams to continue to strengthen the struggle and at the same time concentrate on deploying the project according to the plan.

"With the complex nature of drug crime on the border, the Customs agency will coordinate with the functional forces to implement the projects to fight and arrest suspects to achieve the best results. AnGiang Customs Department also cooperates with Cambodian authorities in exchanging information and cooperating in drug prevention and control across the two countries' borders" Mr. Tran QuocHoan said.