Vietnam: Activities which the drug control agencies of the people’s public security force may carry out

Specifically, according to Clause 1 Article 1 of the Law on amendments to a number of articles of Law on Drug Prevention and Fight of Vietnam amending and supplementing Article 13 of the Law on Drug Prevention and Fight 2000, the drug control agencies of the people’s public security force may carry out the following activities:

- Taking charge and cooperating with relevant agencies in performing activities to prevent and fight against drug-related crimes;

- Applying necessary scouting measures to detect drug-related crimes;

- Requesting appraisal of necessary specimen, bio-product samples to detect drug-related crimes

- Requesting concerned individuals, families, agencies and/or organizations to provide information, documents, financial situation and accounts at banks when there are grounds for believing that acts prescribed in Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8, Article 3 of the Law on Drug Prevention and Fight 2000 are committed;

- Requesting post offices to open parcels and mailers for inspection purpose when there are grounds for deeming that such parcels or mailers contain drugs, pre-substances, additive medicines or centripetalneurotropic medicines;

- Applying necessary measures to protect denouncers, witnesses and victims in drug-related cases.

Individuals, families, agencies and organizations shall, at requests of drug control agencies, carry out the following activities:

- Providing information, documents, financial situation and accounts at banks when there are grounds for believing that acts prescribed in Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8, Article 3 of Law on Drug Prevention and Fight 2000 are committed;

- Requesting post offices to open parcels and mailers for inspection purpose when there are grounds for deeming that such parcels or mailers contain drugs, pre-substances, additive medicines or centripetalneurotropic medicines.

Drug control agencies of the Border Guard, Coast Guard and customs authorities shall, as authorized and assigned, take charge and cooperate with the public security force and other relevant agencies in applying necessary measures as regulated by laws to prevent and take against illegal trade and transport of drugs, pre-substances, additive medicines and centripetalneurotropic medicines in the area under their management.

More details can be found in the Law on amendments to a number of articles of Law on Drug Prevention and Fight in 2008 of Vietnam, which takes effect from January 01, 2009.

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE