Change perception in anti-drugs of Customs

Deputy Director General of General Department of Customs - Nguyen Cong Binh made a speech at the conference.

Accordingly, the drug prevention of Customs authorities needs to focus on Customs operation areas such as border gate, sea port, airport and industrial park – export processing zone… via the activities of inspection, supervision and Customs enforcement for import – export goods, vehicle on entry and exit, temporary import and re-export goods, transit and people on entry and exit. In that, concentrating on current key line that is: aviation, postal, express, transit and temporary import and re-export.

Nearly 600 cases of drug trafficking have been seized

According to the assessment at the conference, in recent years, the situation of drug crimes in Vietnam was very complicated, the number of drug addicts, cases and criminals increased gradually. At the border gate area, the activities of buying, selling and transporting illegal drugs of criminals were very sophisticated and venturesome. In almost border gates, seaports, international airports, and international post offices have detected crimes of drug trafficking and transporting illegal narcotics across the border.

Drugs were transported illegally from foreign countries into Vietnam by land, sea, air, post and express delivery. Then a part of those drugs was consumed domestically, and the rest was transported to foreign countries. Types of the drug are including cocaine, Khat leaf that was transported illegally from South America, the Middle East to Vietnam via seaports and express.

On the other hand, drugs from Vietnam included heroin was illegally transported to China, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and several other countries. Meth was transported to Cambodia, Thailand and other countries. The route of transporting cocaine is started from South America area to Vietnam and then shipped to third countries via seaports.

Facing to the above situation, Customs authorities at all levels have taken the initiative actions in preventing, fighting, detecting and arresting drug criminals through customs procedures, patrolling, controlling and establishing investigations into a crime in order to combat effectively in customs operation area, arrests many cases with large amounts of narcotics and transporters.

Many units have achieved high achievements in detecting and arresting drug dealers such as the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department - General Department of Customs, Customs Departments of provinces and cities: Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Cao Bang, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Tay Ninh. As a result, from 2011 to 2016, the Customs forces collaborated to detect and arrest 588 cases, 733 subjects transported illegal drugs. Over 272 kg of heroin, over 139 kg of marijuana, over 310 kg of synthetic drugs, over 190,000 tablets of synthetic narcotics, 42.2 kg of opium, nearly 123 kg of cocaine and a new drug named Khat leaves with 5,490 kg were seized.

Taking advantage of leak in customs clearance to transport drugs

At the conference, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department said that, in recent time, taking advantage of facilitation policies in cargo clearance, especially in customs procedures for import and export goods such as using electronic customs declarations (VNACCS / VCIS), risk management in flow distribution of goods, exemption from physical inspection of import / export goods, luggage and means of transport on entry and leave in Vietnamese territory in order to hide narcotics. Through the analysis of the cases, it showed that transporters often camouflage and hide drugs in containers, mix drugs into agricultural products such as tea, coffee…

In the case of transit, drug criminals often take advantage of customs management policies for transit goods, which only supervise goods from the border gate of importation to the border gate of exportation, do not conduct customs inspection in order to hide drugs in goods for overpowering the competent forces.

For temporary import and re-export, recently, the organization, the transnational group continues to transport illegal drugs across borders by sophisticated tricks and turning Vietnam into a transshipment area for the new type of drug.

For goods transported by express, due to the goods were transport individually, the criminals take advantage of this method to transport drugs and precursor substance with tricks such as declaring unclear name, address of the consignor and recipient; declaring incorrect the name of goods, mix and soak precursor substance and drugs into beverages, cosmetics, perfumes, popular foods such as candy, tobacco, dried tea, coffee, shrimp paste, medicated oil and all kind of powders,...

Customs has identified the tricks of drug criminals, so the fight against drug trafficking must ensure the enforcement associated with facilitation. This is a challenge and difficulty for the anti - drug and enforcement force.

Deputy Director General Nguyen Cong Binh noted that the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, Customs of provinces and cities should focus on reviewing drug prevention plans, specialized plans, coordination plans in and out of the sector. Furthermore, evaluating the results of drug enforcement in recent years for better improvement and effectiveness in the future. At the same time, Customs forces need to review the control of precursor substance as it is a very difficult task, involving many ministries such as the Drug Administration of Vietnam – Ministry of Health, Vietnam Chemicals Agency - Ministry of Industry and Trade. And another effective measure is the use of professional dogs, Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, the Customs of the provinces, cities need to discuss as well as evaluate the pros and cons of using professional dogs in order to promote of using that measure in drug prevention in the future.

Moreover, attending the meeting, Lieutenant Colonel Le Thanh Binh, deputy director of the Drug Prevention Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, highly appreciated the coordination of the Customs forces with the police forces in drug control in recent time. In the coming time, the Customs sector should strengthen coordination with the police force in sharing and processing data information for effective control and anti-drugs. Drug prevention forces also continue to raise their responsibility in carrying out their duties to make this work more effectively.

Additionally, the Customs of provinces and cities also shared their experiences, raising their difficulties, proposed to the General Department of Customs and related ministries in order to make the drug prevention and control of precursor substance to be more effective.