Fireworks and drug smuggling emerge as 'hot' phenomena

According to the Ministry of Finance , in the last months of 2023 and early 2024, the situation of smuggling and trade fraud continues to be latent and complicated. Customs authorities have discovered violations related to smuggling and trade fraud, in which a number of "hot" and prominent phenomena have emerged.

Buôn lậu pháo nổ, ma túy nổi lên thành hiện tượng 'nóng'- Ảnh 1. — The subject and the evidence in the case of Son La Customs Branch ( Dien Bien Customs Department) participating in coordination to catch a subject red-handed possessing 30,000 synthetic drug pills on January 31.

Specifically, the situation of illegal transportation of firecrackers tends to increase. Smugglers and illegal transporters of firecrackers mainly use the method of taking advantage of means of transport in and out of the country. Violations related to illegal transportation of firecrackers have appeared in some localities such as Quang Tri, Nghe An, Lang Son ...

In addition, the illegal trading and transportation of drugs across the border is still very complicated, mainly concentrated through international airports: Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang from European and American countries; the road route from Laos is transferred to Vietnam via sea routes.

In addition to the above items, customs authorities also inspected and discovered the transportation of books and newspapers with content that was not in accordance with Vietnamese cultural products, such as the case in which the Tan Son Nhat Airport Customs Branch (Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department) discovered that an entering passenger was carrying 69 books with the titles Communist Warfare , Bloc 8406 Freedom and Democracy for Vietnam ... with content that was not in accordance with Vietnamese law.

Arrested 38 cases, seized over 55.4 kg of drugs in the first month of the year

Regarding the work of combating smuggling and trade fraud in the first month of the year, a representative of the General Department of Customs (Ministry of Finance) said: in January (December 16, 2023 - January 15), the entire customs sector detected, arrested and handled 1,253 cases of violations of customs laws.

The value of the infringing goods is estimated at over 1,600 billion VND. The customs agency has initiated 3 cases and referred 10 cases to other agencies for prosecution. The amount of money collected for the state budget is approximately 23 billion VND.

Regarding drug prevention and control, the customs sector has presided over and coordinated with the police and border guards to detect and arrest 38 cases/49 subjects. Of which, the customs agency presided over 7 cases, the police 24 cases, and the border guards 7 cases. Evidence seized was over 55.4 kg of various drugs.

To continue to strengthen the prevention and control of smuggling and illegal transportation of fireworks across borders, border gates and sea areas, the General Department of Customs has been directing units to strengthen inspection and control of means of transport entering and leaving the country, especially vehicles carrying imported and exported goods and passengers entering and leaving the country that can reinforce the container, cargo hold, and partitions to contain fireworks, especially on roads in the provinces of Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc, Long An...

Regarding drug prevention and control, speaking at the Conference on drug prevention and control via air routes held at the end of January in Hanoi, emphasizing that close inter-sectoral coordination can bring the highest efficiency in drug prevention and control, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc suggested that the police and customs forces need to strengthen their coordination relationship even better.

Especially the exchange and sharing of information between local police units, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (C04) of the Ministry of Public Security and the customs sector from the time of detecting suspicions, receiving reports to the process of fighting and destroying.

The head of the financial sector also affirmed that the Ministry of Finance is and will continue to pay attention to modernizing drug prevention and control equipment; and will propose to include investment in modern drug prevention and control equipment in the target program to contribute to supporting the fighting forces more effectively.

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