On November 18–19, nearly 60 delegates from customs authorities of participating countries and international law enforcement organizations gathered in Khanh Hoa Province for the closing conference of Operation Mekong Dragon 7 (OMD 7).

Jointly organized by Vietnam Customs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Asia-Pacific Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO A/P – WCO), the event drew strong interest thanks to the campaign’s remarkable achievements in combating transnational crime.

Launched in 2018 as a joint initiative between Vietnam Customs and China Customs, Operation Mekong Dragon has evolved into a large-scale cooperation effort targeting drug trafficking, illegal trade in wildlife and plants, and CITES-listed products across the Asia-Pacific region.

Phase 7 of the campaign ran from April 15 to September 15, 2025, with the participation of 24 customs agencies, law enforcement forces, and international organizations.

At the conference, Dang Van Duc, Deputy Head of the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department, emphasized the crucial role of international partners in sharing intelligence and investigation techniques. Since the campaign was included in the 2022 joint statement between the General Secretaries of Vietnam and China, it has received strong high-level support, enabling Vietnam Customs to expand the campaign and deepen inter-agency collaboration.

Over the past three phases (OMD 5, 6, and 7), Vietnam Customs has worked closely with the Ministry of Public Security’s C04 and C05 units and local customs branches.

The results are clear: in the first 10 months of 2025 alone, Vietnam Customs and other enforcement bodies uncovered 165 cases, arrested 213 suspects, and seized 2.3 metric tons of narcotics - largely thanks to intelligence shared by partners from China, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Japan.

Regionally, OMD 7 recorded 1,155 cases uncovered and processed. Among them were 1,027 drug-related incidents (involving 11.8 tons and more than 1.7 million tablets of synthetic drugs), 20 involving precursors, and 108 violations related to wildlife and plant trafficking, with large volumes of confiscated items.

A representative from UNODC praised the Mekong Dragon Campaign not only as a law enforcement operation but also as a trust-building platform that fosters intelligence sharing and drives collective action across the region. UNODC affirmed its continued support through technical assistance, tools, and cross-border coordination mechanisms.

From China Customs, Yang Xi, Director of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of Xiamen Customs, applauded Vietnam’s organizational role, calling OMD a “leading model of customs cooperation” in addressing transnational crime in the region.

In closing, Vietnam Customs reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ongoing collaboration with member countries and international organizations in efforts to combat drug trafficking, protect endangered wildlife, and fight all forms of cross-border crime.

Vietnam pledged to stand alongside its partners in building secure borders, a stable region, and a sustainable future.

Tien Dung