On October 29-30, 2025 in Da Lat City (Lam Dong), Vietnam Customs held the 6th Vietnam - Cambodia Border Customs Conference with the participation of professional units performing control work from the central to local levels of the Customs of the two countries.
Speaking at the opening of the Conference, Mr. Vu Quang Toan - Head of the Anti-smuggling Investigation Department, Head of the Vietnam Customs Delegation emphasized: "Through the 5 conferences, the two sides have continuously increased information exchange, coordinated border inspection and control and implemented many practical professional cooperation activities, contributing to ensuring security and order in bilateral and regional trade activities".
At the Conference, the two sides discussed in detail specific cooperation measures and shared good practical experiences in the work of preventing and combating smuggling and illegal trade of goods across the border.
Many outstanding results in recent times have been recorded, as of September 15, 2025, Vietnam Customs has detected, arrested and handled more than 13,000 violations; prosecuted 15 cases and transferred 93 cases to prosecution. The Vietnam - Cambodia border route alone arrested 156 cases, prosecuted 1 case and submitted recommendations to prosecute 9 cases.
Common violations include: Taking advantage of the legal status of enterprises and organizations to defraud, smuggle imported goods with conditions and taking advantage of transit types to mix and hide goods that are not allowed to be transited, goods that violate intellectual property rights, and forgery of origin to commit smuggling and trade fraud.
Regarding the fight against drugs, as of September 15, 2025, Vietnam Customs has discovered and arrested: 152 cases, 194 subjects, seizing nearly 2.3 tons of drugs, mainly synthetic drugs. The southwestern border border border with Cambodia alone has arrested 10 cases and 20 subjects.
In addition, the two sides have proposed a number of cooperation orientations in the coming time, such as: Strengthening coordination in controlling goods with high risks of smuggling in border areas of the two countries; Update the list of focal points of central to local authorities to promote rapid, accurate and effective information exchange between the two sides; Coordinate in propaganda work on the harmful effects of smuggling activities, trade fraud, drug crimes on the economy, society and national security to border residents of the two countries, and businesses with import-export activities in the region.
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Nou Sytha - Director, Department of Anti-smuggling and Suppression, General Department of Customs and indirect Tax of Cambodia sent his sincere thanks for the warm and hospitable reception of Mr. Vu Quang Toan and the Vietnam Customs delegation. He expressed his deep confidence in the effectiveness of cooperation between the two Customs forces, and pledged to continue to maintain close coordination with the Vietnamese side in professional activities and build strategic trust between the two countries.
At the end of the Conference, the two sides signed a Conference Minutes to agree to increase professional exchanges between technical focal points. The success of the 6th Conference continues to affirm the common determination and pioneering role of the Customs forces of the two countries in the fight against smuggling, protecting trade security, contributing to building peaceful, stable and sustainable borders and development.
