Hundred kg of drugs were seized by the Customs in May

	Customs are affirming their role in fighting drug crimes
	Customs seizes more than 1.6 tonnes of drugs and 180,000 synthetic drugs pills
	Competent forces destroyed “huge” case and seized 500 kg Ketamine

Nearly 500kg ketamine valued at 500 billion VND seized by Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and the Investigation Police Department on Drug-related Crimes (C04)

The General Department of Vietnam Customs assesses that in May, the smuggling and illegal transportation of goods cross border gates took place sophisticatedly, especially drug-related crimes.

Customs forces have arrested many trafficking, illegal transportation of goods across borders with seizures of marijuana, heroin, synthetic drugs (methamphetamine, DMA, ketamine), and fresh opium fruit and stems.

On May 5, the Police of Dien Bien province cooperated with the Drug Control Team (under Dien Bien Customs Department) and the Police of Tuan Giao District to discover two persons transporting and trafficking drugs and seize two packages of heroin.

On May 6, at warehouse of Lot No. 2, My Tho Industrial Park, Provincial Road 864, Binh Tao Hamlet, Trung An Commune, My Tho City (Tien Giang province), the C04, Unit No.6 (under the General Department of Vietnam Customs), the Customs Enforcement Team (under Binh Duong Customs Department) seized 119 kg of cocaine.

The drugs were hidden in the container No. TCNU5869923, seal No. WHLE657047. They were declared as fishmeal - raw materials for aquaculture feed production and imported by seaway from Peru transited via Taiwan to Cat Lai Port (Ho Chi Minh City).

On May 11, in a warehouse at Hamlet 4, Zone 4, Vinh Loc A, Binh Chanh District (Ho Chi Minh City), Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and the C04 coordinated with the Unit 6 and other competent forces detected four Taiwanese suspects who illegal transported and stored drugs with infringing goods valued at 500kg of ketamine.

As the Standing office of Steering Committee 389 of the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Vietnam Customs advised the Ministry of Finance to coordinate with ministries, agencies and authorities in strengthening the prevention and combating smuggling, trade frauds, counterfeit goods and illegal transportation of goods across borders.

It has requested units to take measures strictly. Specifically, they were told to continue to implement the plan 1412/ KH-TCHQ dated March 13 on "strengthening control for goods in transit, temporaryly imported for re-export from Vietnam to Cambodia"; urge local customs departments to inspect the waste production facilities according to Plan No. 275/KH-TCHQ dated July 11, 2018 of the General Department of Customs on "investigation and verification of handling of violations in importing scrap from abroad to Vietnam; develop a master plan to strengthen the prevention of drugs and drug precursors.

According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, in May (from April 16 to May 15), the whole sector tackled a total of 729 cases of violations and value of infringing goods is estimated at 102,225 billion VND; and contributed 26,529 billion VND to the State budget.

Customs authorities issued one decision to prosecute criminal cases and transferred 17 cases to other agencies for prosecution.