Smuggled seahorses were discovered by Customs and Police on April 22

According to the GDVC, drug trafficking in May was still unpredictable.

Border gates have been opened for international so domestic smugglers are colluding with foreign smugglers to transport smuggled goods across border crossings.

The smugglers used speedboats to counter competent forces to illegally transport drugs into Vietnam.

On the other hand, the sharp increase in the cross-border travel means the number of violations surged at border gates, especially at international airports.

The GDVC issued the plan on using mobile surveillance vehicles to perform online surveillance at customs control areas of Long An, Tay Ninh, Dong Thap and An Giang.

The country’s top customs regulator also requested local customs departments and post clearance audit units and inspectorate forces to follow direction of the Steering Committee 389 of the Ministry of Finance on strengthening the fight against smuggling of petroleum products and medical supplies.

In May, the Customs chaired and coordinated with other competent agencies to arrest and handle 1,057 customs offences with the value of infringing goods of over VND273.791 billion. The Customs collected VND69.598 billion and transferred to other agencies to prosecute nine cases.

On April, the GDVC’s Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department collaborated with Hon Gai Seaport Customs Branch (under Quang Ninh Customs Department) to detect two shipments with suspicious signs of illegally transshipping of 40,000 kg of FO oil.

On April 21, the branch discovered a suspect using a wooden vessel to transport 2,160 liters of diesel oil without invoices and documents.

On April 22, the Customs Enforcement Team under Hanoi Customs Department coordinated with Hanoi Police to inspect a shipment imported from Indonesia, and detected 58.74 kg of Seahorses listed in Appendix II of CITES.

From April 21 to May 12, Hai Phong Seaport Customs Branch under Hai Phong Customs Department detected many used consumer goods banned from import.