Customs forces use sniffer dogs to check exports shipments through Saigon port area 4. Photo: Thu Hoa

Tricks to smuggle drugs

On May 9, 2022, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch carried out procedures for imported gift shipments on the SAN FRANCISCO JAPAN - Ho Chi Minh City flight and the consignee as Mr. Hoang Minh Thai, born in 2001, in Binh Dinh. Through scanning, customs officers discovered one carton of suspected goods containing prohibited goods. Customs officers conducted a manual inspection and discovered 5,000 grams of marijuana, divided into 20 small packages, sophisticatedly hidden in many boxes of cereal cakes.

So far, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has handled 47 cases with 103kg of drugs of all kinds.

On May 5, 2022, through inspection of gift packages sent from the US, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch discovered four boxes of cereal cakes containing 18 packages of dried cannabis, weighed over 5,000 grams. This package was signed by Mr. Phan Quoc Thai, born in 1982, living in Hoc Mon, Ho Chi Minh City to receive the goods.

In addition to hiding and disguising drugs in objects, confectionery packages, etc., the suspects also send goods through many countries to distract the authorities. In early April, through inspection of a shipment as gifts sent through many routes from SAN FRANCISCO - KOREA - Ho Chi Minh City, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch discovered four boxes of QUAKER and RAISIN BRAN cereal cakes containing 22 nylon sachets of cannabis weighing 5,660 grams. This shipment was received under the name of Mr. Dang Huynh Tan Phuc, living in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, said the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch,

Not only imported goods, Ho Chi Minh City Customs discovered drugs sophisticatedly hidden in export shipments.

On March 8, 2022, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch carried out procedures for an export shipment to Australia (transited through Singapore) in the form of personal non-commercial goods and detected 1022.29 grams of Methamphetamine. These drugs were divided into 12 packages in small nylon bags stuffed into the soles of foam sandals.

On March 18, 2022, while checking an export shipment to Australia, transitioning through Singapore, the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch discovered 497.5 grams drugs hidden in the coffee bags printed with the word “ARABICA – ROASTED COFFEE BEAN”. On the same day, another export package was also discovered by the Customs to hide 1,171.8 grams of drugs (Methamphetamine) in 29 nylon packages hidden in skin cream boxes

Actively control the area

The leader of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department said Ho Chi Minh City is recovering, developing socio-economic and loosening measures to prevent and control the Covid-pandemic. The volume of goods, passengers and flights is increasing. This poses challenges to the fight against smuggling and trade fraud for import and export goods via air, especially in the illegal transportation of narcotics. In addition, sea routes also have much potential for drug smuggling.

Therefore, Ho Chi Minh City Customs has requested units increase vigilance and understand the actual situation in the area, especially the airport and express delivery; proactively take measures to strictly control import and export activities of goods, luggage, passengers, means of entry, exit and transit; absolutely not to be neglect, be subjective and not lose vigilance in the fight against smuggling or illegal activities to bring drugs into the domestic market.

The border gate customs branches are actively inspecting and controlling the area. Mr. Tong Le Dan, Deputy Director of the Saigon Port Area 4 Customs Branch said that, following the direction of the leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, the unit has actively controlled high-risk import and export shipments and used sniffer dogs to check suspicious export shipments to promptly prevent violations and acts of hiding contraband and drugs.