Hai Phong: 3 tons of Khat leaves seized for the first time

	Detecting dried leaves were suspected as Khat leaves imported from Kenya to Vietnam
	70kg of dried leaves suspected as Khat leaves detected in a shipment
	Nearly 1,9 tons of Khat leaves imported illegally via postal services

Leader of People's Committee of Hai Phong and Hai Phong Customs Department inspected the exhibits. Photo: T.Bình

In the afternoon of 21th March 2017, at the Tan Vu port (Hai Phong), with the attention of leaders of the People's Committee of Hai Phong City, Hai Phong Customs Department in cooperation with the Northern Anti-smuggling unit (Team 1 - Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, General Department of Customs) and Hai Phong Police opened the container of violated goods.

As a result, 353 packages of Khat leaves were discovered with a total estimated weight of 2.8 tons.

Deputy Director of Hai Phong Customs Department, Mr. Nguyen Sy Trang said that following the instructions of leaders of the Ministry of Finance, leaders of the General Department of Customs, Hai Phong Customs Department has directed the units to struggle, prevent and seize Khat leaves – a kind of leaf containing narcotics with the concentration of toxicity is more than 500 times other drugs.

Accordingly, in July of 2016, the Customs Enforcement Team (Hai Phong Customs Department) reported to the leaders of the Department to set up a specialized project "Struggling, destroying the illegal transportation of narcotics from foreign countries to Hai Phong port."

In August of 2016, according to intelligence gathering and information analysis, the Customs enforcement forces (Hai Phong Customs Department) identified suspected shipments based on bill of lading. It showed the generic name "The Vert" which could be translated as shrubs. The shipment come from a country in Africa.

Immediately, Hai Phong Customs Enforcement Team cooperated with Team 1 (Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department), Police of Drug Investigation Division (PC47 - Hai Phong Police) set up the plan to closely monitor the suspicious shipments.

Then, on 21th March 2017, Hai Phong Customs in collaboration with functional forces opened the container for physical inspection. According to the preliminary assessment of the Institute of Crime Technical Science (Ministry of Public Security), the leaves were Khat leaves.

Till now, the enterprise named in the bill of lading has sent an official letter of refusal to receive the goods.

"That enterprise is specializing in the business of temporarily imported and re-exported goods, so it is more likely that the shipment would be transited through Vietnam in order to transfer to a third country" - Mr. Trang indicated.

At the scene, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Binh - Vice Chairman of People's Committee of Hai Phong, head of Steering committee 389 Hai Phong praised the achievement of functional forces. At the same time, he requested the units to quickly complete the violated dossier for handling in accordance to regulations

According to Mr. Trang, in the upcoming days, Hai Phong Customs will continue to cooperate with other authorities to complete the profile and Hai Phong Customs Department will proceed to prosecute criminal cases of transporting illegally 2.8 tons of Khat leaves.

The case of several tons of Khat leaves import into Vietnam: The loopholes in law were discovered VCN- At the beginning of July 2016, Hanoi Customs Department officially informed the successfully coordinating investigation E316 ...

Previously, on 20^th March 2017, Hai Phong Customs Enforcement Team also conducted physical inspection for a suspected container and discovered all the goods contained inside were Shisha - this is the state-managed goods and strict limits import processing.

Here are some pictures of the exhibits.

Customs officers inspected container seals.

Staff of port authority cut container seal.

Use professional dogs to assist the inspection.

Customs and police forces inspected the exhibits

Hundreds of packages contain Khat leaves.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Binh, Vice Chairman of People's Committee of Hai Phong City, Head of Steering 389 Hai Phong awarded to Hai Phong Customs Department and Police of Hai Phong city.