VCN – HCM City Customs Department worked with Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department – General Department of Vietnam Customs, PC04 – HCM City Police to conduct a physical inspection and seize nearly 36kg of drugs of all kinds camouflaged inside imported gift parcels.
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| 36kg of drugs concealing inside gift parcels seized by HCM City Customs Department in coordination with competent forces |
Implementing Anti-Drug and Control Plan No. 07 and 08/KH-KSMT-CPN established between three units, including the Anti-Drug Enforcement Team; Express Customs Branch and Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch that has been approved by the Director of HCM City Customs Department, the units have investigated and verified suspected imported parcels.
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| Gift parcels containing drugs were sent from US, Canada and Germany. |
As a result, it determined all these parcels have fake addresses or no recipients based on their bills of lading. Using the tricks of buying and selling goods online and tracking goods not cleared by comparing clearance time with normal shipments, the subjects left the goods.
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| Drugs were camouflaged inside can of roasted peanuts |
On that basis, on April 26, the HCM City Customs Department worked with the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department – General Department of Vietnam Customs and PC04 – HCM City Police to conduct a physical inspection of 16 suspicious parcels imported from the US, Canada and Germany as personal non-commercial gifts.
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| Can of coffee contained drugs |
The competent forces discovered and seized a total of nearly 36kg of drugs of all kinds, including synthetic drugs in the form of MDMA tablets (ecstasy), cannabis and ketamine.
All of the drugs were carefully camouflaged in jars of moisturizer, cans of roasted peanuts, tea and coffee, wrapped in foil, vacuumed and sealed to deal with scanning machines and drug-sniffing dogs. Customs forces had to use cutting machines to take out the drugs.
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| The subjects using tricks to camouflage drugs inside gift parcels |
In particular, the ecstasy pills were camouflaged in the two-bottomed milk powder cans (above the milk, the bottom contains drugs), it is visible if using eyes.
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| Ecstasy pills were camouflaged in the two-bottomed milk powder cans |
Notably, the subjects have taken advantage of the independent transport method from HCM City to Hanoi to illegally transport drugs. However, the procedure was discovered and stopped in time by the Customs authority.
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| Seized exhibits |
The case is being investigated and handled by the HCM City Customs Department, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department – General Department of Vietanm Customs and HCM City Police to continue investigating and handling in accordance with the law.
By Hòa-Dịu/Thanh Thuy