Drug-related Crimes Remain Complex

Drug trafficking remained a serious challenge but declined from the previous month, according to the latest data released by the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDC). Traffickers often exploited the H11 category (other imported goods) to smuggle and trade drugs across the border to Vietnam and forward them to other countries for consumption. Drugs were frequently concealed in packages of candy, functional foods, dog and cat feeds and cosmetics. They seemed to start transiting drugs from other countries to Laos.

As an advisory and assisting agency for a specialized national body and the Ministry of Finance, GDC has proactively issued guiding documents, alerted local customs departments and instructed implementation of anti-smuggling and trade fraud.

Accordingly, GDC warned about traffickers, routes and tricks to hide drugs; delivered alerts about tricks used to transport illegal goods via air routes; exchanged experiences and provided professional guidance on drug control; organized conferences on customs control operations and on drug control, techniques and vessels in Da Nang City; opened training courses on management, drilling and use of sniffer dogs trained by Cuban customs experts.

As an advisor and assistant to the Ministry of Finance in preventing and combating money laundering, anti-financing and anti-terrorism, GDC has well performed its tasks in the Assisting Team to the National Anti-Terrorism Steering Committee, the Assisting Team to the APG Multilateral Group on Money Laundering, and the National Anti-Corruption Risk Assessment Group in synthesizing data, reporting, giving opinions and assessing risks of the customs sector related to money laundering prevention, anti-terrorism and anti-financing. With the above measures, the customs sector seized 11,329 cases of customs violations with commodity value of VND4,435 billion from December 16, 2022 to August 15, 2023. Customs authorities prosecuted 22 cases and referred 78 cases to other agencies for prosecution. The amount collected and remitted to the state budget was VND363 billion.

By Hien Le, Vietnam Business Forum