Hồ CHÍ MINH CITY: The 229 kilograms of heroin on board a Taiwan-bound plane went undetected at Tan Son Nhat International Airport on November 16 because the consignment was sent through a channel that does not subject goods to scrutiny, a customs official said.
Tran Ma Thong, deputy chief of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, told the press that customs officers had fulfilled standard protocols. He said that the department is still waiting for investigation results.
According to the official, the 500-kilogram consignment allegedly containing 12 empty stereo speakers went through the Green Channel, which is for goods within customs’ limits. Goods going through the Green Channel are not subject to checks such as scanners, he said.
“Customs officers just checked the information in the customs declaration form and cleared the consignment,” he added.
