Over 3 tonnes of drugs seized in 14 months
Customs authorities seized more than 3 tonnes of drugs of all kinds, with 365 suspects involved, from December 16, 2022 to February 15, 2024, according to a report by the Ministry of Finance to National Assembly deputies.
In the period, they detected, arrested and handled 18,468 cases of customs law violations, with contrabands valuing at an estimation of VND15.7 trillion (US$635.5 million). The General Department of Vietnam Customs launched legal proceedings against 43 cases, and handed over to other agencies 204 cases. The amount of money collected was VND588 billion.
Notably, from December 16, 2023 to February 15, 2024, 2,475 violation cases with contrabands worth VND3.29 trillion were detected.
Customs officials also seized 11.35 kg of marijuana, 17.8 kg of heroin, 43 kg of ketamine, 900 ketamine tablets, and 145.89 kg of synthetic drugs and many other drugs.
According to the Ministry of Finance, recently, on the Vietnam - China border, smuggling activities and illegal transportation of goods have decreased significantly, with no new hot spots uncovered. On the contrary, on the Vietnam – Laos, and Vietnam - Cambodia borders, those activities involving firecrackers, wild animals and plants, cigarettes and sugar still develop complicatedly, mainly in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Long An, Dong Thap, An Giang, and Kien Giang provinces.
