The anti-smuggling working group (Tra Linh Border Gate Customs Branch, Cao Bang Customs Department) chaired and coordinated with Tra Linh border station to seize 55 sacks containing tobacco materials with a total weight of 2.5 tonnes.

Exhibits are temporarily seized at Tra Linh Customs Branch.
Photo provided by Cao Bang Customs.

The above goods were discovered when competent forces patrolled landmark 745 in Ban Hia hamlet, Tra Linh town, Trung Khanh district, Cao Bang province.

Exhibits were brought to the warehouse at Tra Linh Customs Branch for further verification, clarification and handling in accordance with the law.

From the beginning of 2021, the Customs Branches and Customs Enforcement Team (Cao Bang Customs Department) had participated in handling many cases of smuggling of tobacco materials, the total amount of exhibits seized was nearly 20 tonnes.

Furthermore, the border area of ​​Trung Khanh district was an area with complicated developments in the illegal transport of tobacco materials (tobacco leaves) from China to Cao Bang.

The trick of the smugglers was that they hired many people to illegally transport tobacco materials from China to Vietnam, each trip was only from 15 to 25kg. They operated mainly at night and gathered in houses close to the border.

After that, they transported the goods inland by passenger cars (mainly pickup trucks); organized people to watch the activities of competent forces who quickly notified each other to disperse or stop activities when they detected that they were being monitored and prevented.