Customs strengthens prevention of transnational drug crime

	Customs continue strengthening the work against drug crime
	Customs are affirming their role in fighting drug crimes
	Smuggling drugs and wild animal products takes place on a large scale

Three suspects and infringing goods were seized in the special plan 179H

Effective coordination

The seizure of 80 packages of heroin transported from Laos via Dien Bien to Nam Dinh and led by femalesuspects on September 18 is attracting public attention. The reason is that after the attack onpolice officers and competent forces in drug hotspots along the Northern border, especially in Ta De village, Long Luong commune in mid-2018, drug crimes in this area significantly decreased. After being destroyed along the Northern border, smugglers accelerated the transportation and trafficking of drugs along borders in the Central, Central Highlands and Southern region.

The coordination of the Investigation Police Department on Drug-related Crime (C04) with Hai Phong Customs Department and the Coast Guard Command to successfully destroy the transportation line of 80 packages of heroin from Laos via Dien Bien to Nam Dinh for consumption has shown the vigilance and determination to fight against drug crime, including the contribution of the Customs force.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Chu Van Phu, Deputy Director of C04, Head of the Special plan board, said that since the beginning of July, C04 has investigated this line.

Facing the complexity of the case, on July 25, 2019, Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Cac, Director of C04, signed to make a special plan No. 179H to mobilize forces for prevention.“Thisincluded the exchange and sharing of specialized information by Hai Phong Customs Enforcement Team and the Coast Guard force,” Phu said.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Chu Van Phu emphasized that the successful destruction of the special plan 179H shows the effective cooperation between the Police, Customs, Coast Guard and Border Guards.

According to the Head of Special plan board, as the role of the Customs management, the Customs force has valuable information related to international drug crime lines and organizations. In the seizure of 80 packages of heroin, Hai Phong Customs Enforcement Team collected and shared important information related to this drug crime line. During the investigation and handling of the case, Hai Phong Customs Enforcement Team coordinated closely with units under C04 and the Coast Guard Command to successfully arrest suspects and seize infringing goods.

The leader of Hai Phong Customs Enforcement Team said that expanding the investigation of the case of transporting drugs from Laos to Nghe An and Nam Dinh for consumption seized by the PC04 (Nam Dinh Police) and Customs Enforcement Team (Ha Nam Ninh Customs Department) at the beginning of July, forces seized 15 packages of heroin and detected more suspects in the specialized plan 179H. Accordingly, Hai Phong Customs actively shared and exchanged information with the police force to destroy the drug transport line from Laos to Dien Bien and Nam Dinh.

New methods and tricks

Deputy Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department under the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Nguyen Van Lich, said that the leaders of the General Department of Vietnam Customs directed departments and local customs units to strengthen measures. Especially, during performing tasks, the Customs force detected new methods of transnational drug crime lines, including taking advantage of drug transportation through immigration or delivery of goods.

“From the beginning of 2019, the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department instructed local customs units. Accordingly, requesting these units to focus on supervising immigration, as well as import and export goods. At the same time, the Department assigned working teams including officers working in drug prevention and combat to directly instruct in hotspots. Through the destruction of many transnational drug transport lines, it shows that these lines were also related to the hiding of drugs in carsor sending goods without owners, Lich said.

In fact, in recent arrests, suspects transported drugs in cars across borders while hiding and mixing goods inluggage. On September 11, at Hoa Lu International Border Gate Checkpoint, suspects concealed 16 kilograms of drugs in vehicles.

At the end of September, Quang Tri Customs Department chaired and coordinated to seize dozens of packages of drugs and 3,000 tablets concealed in rice cookers and tea packages.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Lich, the concealment of drugs in goods and luggage sent on legal immigration means across borders are new and daring tricks.

“Previously, suspects often transported goods through trails and border crossings and rarely transported them asrecklessly as now,” Lich said

Regarding the drug arrest in Quang Tri, the leader of Quang Tri Customs Department said that although the competent force promptly detected the drug transportation, in order to arrest suspects, it allowed to clear goods and closely controlled.Therefore, the recipient inland and infringing goods were caught by competent authorities.