Professional discussion, practical exchange
On July 3-4, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Anti-smuggling Investigation Department ( Customs Department) held a Conference on Trade Unions in 2025. The event was attended by 150 officials and civil servants from key customs units such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Ho Chi Minh City, the Southwest and representatives of the Supreme People's Procuracy and the Ho Chi Minh City People's Procuracy.
The conference is a forum to share experiences in inspection, supervision, control and combat of smuggling and trade fraud, especially for items affecting the health of consumers or subject to specialized management. Key contents discussed include: evaluating the peak campaign to repel and suppress smuggling crimes; investigation of customs cases and incidents; management of ships and the use of means, weapons, and support tools in control.
An important content is to disseminate new regulations of the Criminal Procedure Code related to the investigation authority of customs authorities. According to Ms. Hoang Thi Quynh Chi - Director of Department 14, Supreme People's Procuracy, the positions assigned to conduct the investigation include: Head of Department, Deputy Head of the Anti-smuggling Investigation Department; Head of Department, Deputy Head of the Post-clearance Inspection Department and captains of customs at border gates.
Removing obstacles, improving implementation efficiency
Many of the exchanges focused on practical issues such as receiving and handling information about crimes, handing over records, exhibits, appraisal and valuation of assets before initiating a case. The problems were answered by representatives of the Supreme People's Procuracy and the prosecutors, guiding the unified application method.
The conference also focused on modernizing control activities, ensuring equipment, support tools and professional means. Accordingly, the Customs sector identifies this as an important foundation for building a professional force, meeting the requirements of integration and implementing international commitments.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Director of the Customs Department Luu Manh Tuong said that the current challenge is both facilitating trade and ensuring effective control. Specially focus on direct consultation and combat; focus on hitting the masterminds and leaders, not forming a large-scale smuggling ring, Mr. Tuong emphasized.
More than 8,500 violations in 6 months
According to the report at the conference, from December 15, 2024 to June 14, 2025, the entire Customs force detected, arrested and handled 8,561 violations, with the total value of violated goods estimated at VND 13,614 billion. Of which, the Customs agency directly prosecuted 8 cases and transferred the dossier to propose prosecuting 54 other cases.
In particular, in the field of drug prevention, the Customs presided over and coordinated the arrest of 103 cases with 110 subjects, seizing nearly 2 tons of drugs - nearly double compared to the same period in 2024. The evidence included 1,471 kg of ketamine, 122.39 kg of marijuana, 32.6 kg of heroin, 1.86 kg of cocaine, more than 273 kg of synthetic drugs and many tablets of various types.
These figures reflect efforts to control and prevent cross-border crimes, while showing the need to improve professional capacity, perfect institutions and strengthen coordination between functional forces.
The Customs sector clearly identified the goal of continuing to overcome limitations, promote typical experiences, tighten inspection and control of high-risk areas and types, and at the same time promote the application of technology, ensuring the goal of building a disciplined and modern force to perform well the tasks in the new situation.
