Society

Customs bust 4.5kg cocaine trafficking case at Tan Son Nhat airport

A Thai female passenger was arrested at Tan Son Nhat airport after 4.94kg of cocaine was found concealed in her luggage. She had arrived from South America and was transiting to a third country.

4.5kg cocaine seized by customs at Tan Son Nhat airport (Photo courtesy of Department of Customs)
4.5kg cocaine seized by customs at Tan Son Nhat airport (Photo courtesy of Department of Customs)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Department of Customs reported on February 27 that during a peak anti-smuggling campaign ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, customs forces uncovered 35 cases and seized about 165kg of various drugs, including nearly 4.5kg of cocaine trafficked through Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

In the first two months of 2026 (December 15, 2025 – February 14, 2026), customs units, working independently and in coordination with other forces, detected 35 cases involving 42 suspects, with customs leading nine. Seized items included 14.18kg of cannabis, 14.2kg of heroin, 4.94kg of cocaine, 5.96kg of ketamine, 126kg of synthetic drugs, and 372.25 grams of other narcotics.

Notably on February 5, a Thai female passenger was arrested at Tan Son Nhat airport after 4.94kg of cocaine was found concealed in her luggage. She had arrived from South America and was transiting to a third country.

Customs authorities said traffickers have been exploiting short transit time in Vietnam to evade detection, reflecting organised transnational operations. The agency will continue strengthening risk analysis, applying advanced technology, and enhancing inter-agency and international cooperation to combat drug trafficking and smuggling./.

VNA
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