Smuggled medicine for Covid-19 treatment discovered in gift parcel

Smuggled medicine for Covid-19 treatment are seized by Customs in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.H

Recently, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Team (Unit 3) - Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department, General Department of Vietnam Customs coordinated with HCM Express Customs Branch, HCM City Customs Department to inspect two imported parcels of goods in the form of gifts and donations, 266 boxes of medicines of all kinds (more than 3,000 tablets) were smuggled, which have therapeutic effects and support the treatment of Covid-19.

The above medicines were hidden in some personal items, such as clothes and confectionery.

According to customs officers, the two parcels containing the above smuggled medicines were sent from Russia to two recipients with addresses in HCM City. The parcels were imported by direct flight from Russia to Hanoi, then transported to Ho Chi Minh City.

Through verification conducted by customs officers based on the recipient's address, both the addresses shown on the parcels are bogus addresses.

"The local police had confirmed that the delivery addresses did not have any names as shown on the dossiers, and the delivery addresses are all bogus addresses," a customs officer of Unit 3 said.

Notably, the phone numbers shown on the consignee's records in Vietnam are incorrect. These are sophisticated tricks of the subjects to deny responsibility when competent authorities detect and seize the smuggled goods.

Besides creating the most favorable conditions for organizations and individuals to import goods for Covid-19 pandemic prevention, HCM City Customs Department cooperated well with anti-smuggling forces inside and outside the industry to strictly control import and export goods, promptly detect violations of the Law on Customs, especially smuggled medicine, contributing to ensuring safety for people's health.

Some pictures of the inspection of smuggled medicines:

Two parcels contained smuggled medicines. Photo: T.H

Suspicious image checked by cargo scanning machine. Photo: T.H

Each parcel contains hundreds of boxes of medicine. Photo: T.H

Hundreds of medicine boxes are hidden and mixed with personal belongings. Photo: T.H

These drugs are sent from Russia to two consignees with addresses in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.H

All smuggled medicines for Covid-19 treatment are seized. Photo: T.H

The Customs authority conducts a detailed tally of smuggled medicines. Photo: T.H