Vietnam seizes mailed narcotics from US, Europe

By Quoc Thang   June 29, 2018 | 10:05 pm PT
Vietnam seizes mailed narcotics from US, Europe
Customs forces in Ho Chi Minh City seize a big haul of ecstasy pills delivered from Europe to Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Ho Chi Minh City Customs
The seizure is part of a large-scale crackdown on drug trafficking via air and courier services.

Police and customs officials in Ho Chi Minh City have seized large quantities of marijuana, ecstasy pills and heroin delivered by air and courier services from overseas to Vietnam.

Customs forces at Tan Son Nhat Airport on Friday grabbed 20 packets of marijuana weighing four kilograms hidden in batches of confectionery sent from California to an unnamed man in Hoang Mai District, Hanoi.

Several days earlier, more than three kilograms of marijuana and five kilograms of heroin were detected in a package gift sent from the U.S. to addresses in the northern province of Vinh Phuc and the central province of Ninh Thuan.

Marijuana hidden in confectionary packages from the U.S. is seized at Tan Son Nhat Airport. Photo courtesy of Ho Chi Minh City Customs

Marijuana hidden in confectionery packages from the U.S. is seized at Tan Son Nhat Airport. Photo courtesy of Ho Chi Minh City Customs

The city’s customs department also said Wednesday that it has teamed up with police to seize more than 12 kilograms of ecstasy pills sent by courier service from European countries to Vietnam.

Customs officers said drug trafficking rings have been shifting to air or courier services from overseas to Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces.

Anti-drug police are working with customs officials to crackdown on rings using international courier services, express delivery and non-commercial personal shipment.

So far this year, customs officials have seized more than 40 kg of marijuana at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the largest in the country.

Under Vietnam’s tough drug laws, those possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamines can be sentenced to death. The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death.

 
 
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