Drugs are still a large scale problem

. Drugs were seized by Customs force on June 3,2016

Seized more than 100 kgs of all type drugs

According to statistics of the General Department of Customs, to the end of June 15, Customs collaborated with functional forces to investigate 65 cases with 62 persons involved in transporting and trafficking drugs.

Functional force seized 14.1 kg of heroine; 36 kg of cocaine; 42.4 kg of marijuana; 8.5kg of opium; 27,717 tablets of synthetic drugs and 2.5 kg of ephedrine.

Notably, on May 18 and 20, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department discovered and investigated 2 cases of transporting dried leaves that contained Cathinone (Khat leaves), seizing 36.27 kgs. These new drugs are not in the list of drugs of the Government and banned for use in medicine and society.

Further, on June 3, the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department co-ordinated with Tay Ninh Customs Department, Xa Mat Customs Branch to inspect a consignment of transit declaration No.500043222640 dated May 31, 2016 of African criminal groups transitting China-Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand and seized 15.8 kg of drugs.

Earlier, according to local Customs, at least 6 drug consignments were transported by criminal groups as mentioned above via Vietnam (from Lang Son border gate to Cau Treo (Ha Tinh) and Cha Lo (Quang Binh)) via Lao to Thailand.

Drugs were stashed in Soap

Customs has found that the methods and tricks of drug traffic perpetrators are more sophisticated and daring causing many difficulties for functional forces, especially hidden methods, using modern communications and different methods of trafficking and logistics.

On the Viet -Trung border route, sources of synthetic drugs in the form of ice crystals from China are illegally transported through the border of Cao Bang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Ha Giang for consumption in Vietnam and transported to a third country.

Perpetrators often take advantage of trading and exchange policies of border residents, the type of import-export activities such as: transit, temporary import for re-export, border gate to border gate transportation, to hide drugs inside the body, or in luggage, or in vehicles on exit or entry across the border.

It is well known that the Vietnam-Lao border is the route by which opium and cannabis are transported from the golden triangle area to Vietnam via the provinces of Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Son La, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh to a third country for consumption.

To avoid the attention of functional forces, drug perpetrators often hide narcotics inside goods or transport cargoes through local tracks on both sides of the border or take advantage of the method of import-export goods (declare untruthfully about the name of consignments, quantity, category etc)

On air, postal, or express cargo routes there have been 11 cases found by functional forces of drugs hidden inside gift consignments which were imported and exported from Australia, England, Brazil in the form of alumium-laminated bags, bars of soaps or goods declared as clothing, leather.

Especially, on the international air route from China ice drugs are being transported illegally.

The Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department has requested Customs of provinces and cities to direct related units and Border Gate Customs Branches to implement Customs specialized measures enhancing monitoring of the real situation, gathering, analysing, handling information and basic investigations.

The units need to effectively use all equipment, sniffer dogs, to detect the methods and tricks of perpetrators; inspection and supervision of imported- exported goods and luggage, entry and exit vehicles; cooperate with functional forces in the local areas to detect and prevent risk of smuggling activities and transportation of drugs.