Drugs hidden in goods transported by air from abroad to Vietnam are seized

Drug smuggling via air route, express delivery is increasing

In 2022, facing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, flights were disrupted and the number of entry and exit passengers plunged. However, goods transported by air surged, posing many potential risks of complicated drug crimes.

Accordingly, Hanoi Customs Department promptly worked with the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (C04) - Ministry of Public Security, Hanoi Police and the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department - General Department of Customs to establish a joint special project to increase forces and take professional measures to fight drug gangs, said by Director of Hanoi Customs Department Duong Phu Dong.

Deputy Director of the Drug Crime Investigation Department of the Ministry of Public Security Colonel Chu Van Phu said taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic and difficulties in travel of passengers, smugglers have used courier, logistics and postal services to transport drugs. Furthermore, the smuggling methods and tricks have also changed a lot, from the production of many new drugs to avoid the inspection and control of the Customs, to the mixing of drugs into the common items such as gifts, supplementary foods, shampoo bottles, feed for livestock and poultry to bring drugs to Vietnam.

Identifying the methods and tricks the Police and Customs worked together to grasp information and the situation to effectively fight drug smuggling from abroad into Vietnam is vital.

Director of Noi Bai international airport Customs Branch Phan Quoc Dong said, the commercial flights have restored and many new drug types have appeared. To well carry out the task of fighting against drugs, the Noi Bai Customs force determined that it was necessary to take deeper and more proactive professional measures to prevent this.

“The Customs authority has focused on scouting and obtaining information from the other authorities and uses professional measures such as sniffer dogs to detect new types of drugs and new tricks," said Mr. Phan Quoc Dong. In addition, Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch determined to closely follow the direction and based on customs information to conduct inspection and supervision.

Many drug rings busted and masterminds arrested

The leader of the Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch said in 2022, in addition to ensuring the principle of secret of both seizing infringing goods and arresting suspects, the customs branch has worked with other customs units and the anti-drug agency of the Ministry of Public Security, and gained certain results

Colonel Chu Van Phu said, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department coordinated with the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department and Hanoi Customs Department to establish five special cases. Accordingly the authorities identified an illegal drug trafficking line, mainly MDMA mixed in goods imported to Vietnam.

Colonel Chu Van Phu said throughout May the authorities broke many cases in Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, Da Nang and districts in Ho Chi Minh City, arresting 11 suspects, seizing 50 kg of drugs, 1 gun and 91 bullets. In particular, the Vietnamese leader was arrested, who directly sent drugs from Germany to Vietnam and then returned to Vietnam to continue guiding the distribution of drugs in the country.

“This is the first time we have successfully dismantled the illegal drug trafficking line from Germany and European countries to Vietnam and arrested the leader. This will be a deterrent to those who trade and illegally transport narcotics to slow down," said Colonel Chu Van Phu.