Recognising international cooperation as a pillar in ensuring the security of the trade supply chain, Viet Nam Customs has proactively and actively participated in multilateral and bilateral cooperation mechanisms, specialised forums, and regional and international initiatives.
According to Dang Van Duc, Deputy Head of the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department (Viet Nam Customs), Viet Nam Customs is an active member of the Asia-Pacific Regional Customs Intelligence Cooperation Mechanism of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in sharing information, warning of risks, and coordinating efforts to combat cross-border crime.
Viet Nam Customs has also made significant contributions to multilateral cooperation on customs control among ASEAN countries, especially through the ASEAN Customs Control and Compliance Working Group (CECWG).
During the 2021-2025 period, Viet Nam Customs actively implemented strategic plans on customs control, post-clearance inspection, and community security. It also regularly shared information on actual cases to contribute to the ASEAN Secretariat's control bulletins.
Viet Nam Customs also actively participates in the Joint Customs Control (JCC) programme to exchange information and coordinate control of key goods on high-risk shipping routes in the ASEAN region.
During its ASEAN Customs Chair term (2024-2025), Viet Nam Customs clearly demonstrated its leading, proactive, and responsible role, proposing and being entrusted by members to chair the second JCC Campaign on drug control and information sharing on express delivery routes, with the participation of nine ASEAN countries and the Korea Customs Service.
In 2025, Viet Nam Customs continued to participate in information exchange and joint control campaigns within the ASEAN framework, including activities to combat fraudulent origin of exported goods and the Pacific Shield Campaign on combating illicit drug trafficking on air and express delivery routes.
In the field of bilateral cooperation, Viet Nam Customs has maintained, strengthened, and developed cooperative relationships with customs authorities of China, the US, Russia, France, Canada, and the Republic of Korea.
From 2013 to the present, Viet Nam Customs and China Customs have exchanged over 300 requests for assistance in investigation and information verification, effectively and promptly supporting the control and prevention of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across borders.
Notably, Viet Nam Customs has actively participated in many activities to enhance coordinated control capabilities, share intelligence, and address risks in the region, coordinated by the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office for Asia-Pacific (RILO A/P), such as: Operation Mekong Dragon (OMD), Project Crocodile, Operation Pacific Shield (OPS), and the Rapid Alert Mechanism for Air and Sea Arrests (DSINS Air and DSINS Cargo).
OMD in particular is a prominent example of multilateral cooperation, implemented on the WCO’s secure information-sharing platform with the coordinated participation of Viet Nam Customs, China Customs, RILO A/P, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Through seven implementation phases (from 2018-2025), OMD has continuously expanded in scale, scope, and effectiveness, attracting the participation of an increasing number of customs and law enforcement agencies in the Asia-Pacific region.
According to reports from members, a total of 6,777 seizures were recorded, involving over 75.5 tons of various types of drugs, 4.88 million synthetic drug pills, and 109.3 tons of precursors. This result confirms that OMD has become one of the most effective cooperation models in the region.
Through information sharing mechanisms, Viet Nam Customs has detected and apprehended numerous transnational cases, contributing to improved customs control efficiency and risk analysis capabilities.
In early June 2026, the Mid-Term Review and Consultation Conference of Operation Mekong Dragon VIII (OMD VIII), which was jointly organised by China Customs, RILO A/P, and UNODC in Chengdu, China, was attended by 26 customs agencies, law enforcement agencies of member countries, international organisations, and relevant partners.
An update at the conference on preliminary results after nearly two months of implementation (from April 15 to June 8, 2026) recorded 927 cases detected and processed by member agencies, including 839 cases related to drugs and 21 cases related to precursors.
The total amount of seized drugs was approximately 6.33 tonnes, including over 252,000 units of drugs in pill and package form, about 400 kg of precursors, and over 71,000 units in box and bottle form.
The seizures mainly focused on synthetic drugs, cannabis, cocaine, opioids, and novel psychoactive substances (NPS); reflecting the trend of diversifying transportation methods and types of prohibited goods by transnational criminal networks.
Dang Van Duc affirmed that OMD has been mentioned three times in the Viet Nam-China Joint Statements, demonstrating high appreciation for the effective and substantive cooperation between law enforcement agencies.
This showed that Viet Nam and China Customs need to continue expanding the participation of partners and professional networks, thereby strengthening the connectivity between existing cooperation mechanisms and contributing to improving control efficiency in key routes, areas, and sectors.
To further improve the effectiveness of early detection and prevention, members need to continue proactively sharing intelligence information and enhancing early exchange of information on suspicious shipments, transport routes, concealment methods, and related individuals.
