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Last month, four cabin crew members of Vietnam Airlines were detained at Ho Chi Minh City Airport after authorities discovered they were carrying narcotics hidden in toothpaste tubes in their carry-on luggage. The crew members claimed they had been contracted to smuggle 60 kg of toothpaste, but were unaware that the tubes actually contained ecstasy, ketamine, and cocaine. Although Vietnam has some of the strictest drug regulations in the world, drug trafficking remains a major problem in the country.
The flight attendants were carrying drugs in around half of the 327 tubes of toothpaste they were carrying. Despite their ignorance of the contents, they were detained by authorities. Last week, police announced that they had detained 65 suspects in connection with the smuggling operation. The same smuggling organization that employed the flight attendants is believed to have directed them, and the suspects are being investigated for a number of offenses, including purchasing, distributing, moving, and storing drugs.
According to investigators, the gang frequently brings narcotics into France through Vietnamese students and residents who are studying and living abroad. Domestic delivery firms then transport the drugs to a collaborator in the neighboring province of Dong Nai, where they are shipped to multiple locations for distribution. Despite the efforts of authorities to curb drug trafficking, the proximity of Ho Chi Minh City to neighboring Cambodia makes it a prime location for smugglers.
Vietnam has strict laws regarding drug trafficking and possession. Anyone found guilty of possessing or trafficking more than 600g of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine risks being executed. The production or selling of illicit drugs above a certain amount is also punishable by death. Despite these severe penalties, drug trafficking remains a major problem in Vietnam, and authorities continue to work to combat the issue.
Although drug trafficking via aviation routes has reportedly decreased over the past three months, authorities say it remains a major concern. With its location near neighboring countries where drug production and trafficking are prevalent, Vietnam will need to remain vigilant in its efforts to combat drug trafficking and smuggling.