Vietnam Customs seized about 165kg of narcotics during a nationwide anti-drug campaign carried out over the Lunar New Year (Tet) period.

During the two-month operation from December 15, 2025 to February 14, 2026, customs forces, working with police and border guards, uncovered 35 drug-related cases and arrested 42 people, with customs units leading nine of the cases.

Earlier on February 25 at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, customs officers inspected a South Korean passenger arriving from Qatar after risk analysis flagged the traveller.

A search of the luggage uncovered about 3.6kg of white powder, including packaging, suspected to be narcotics concealed among personal belongings. Preliminary testing confirmed the substance as cocaine, and the case remains under investigation.

In another operation along the border, customs officers from the Customs Sub-Department of Region X coordinated with the Drug Crime Investigation Police Division (PC04) of Son La province on February 27 to dismantle a trafficking ring.

Customs officers and police arrested three people from Chieng Son commune in Son La province and seized nearly 35kg of drugs, including 34kg of synthetic narcotics in crystal form and two bricks of heroin, along with a military firearm, two magazines and 11 rounds of ammunition.

Customs officials said they will continue strengthening risk analysis, applying modern technical equipment and coordinating closely with other law-enforcement forces to detect and prevent cross-border drug trafficking.

Man arrested for smuggling 6,000 synthetic drugs from Laos into Vietnam

VOV.VN - Na Ngoi Border Guard Station in central Nghe An province have apprehended 40-year-old Xai Khu Ly from Laos' Xiangkhouang province for illegally transporting 6,000 synthetic pills from Laos into Vietnam for sale, the unit reported on September 16.