Smugglers using global delivery to run drugs
By Zhao Wen |
December 5, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
INTERNATIONAL express deliveries have become a major channel for drug trafficking gangs to smuggle drugs into China, local customs officials said yesterday.
Custom inspectors at the Pudong International Airport seized nearly 27 kilograms of drugs hidden in 15 express deliveries from January to last month.
The number was higher than the total number of last year, which was about 20 kilograms in 13 deliveries, and is predicted to hit a new record at the end of this year.
"The drug traffickers are getting more and more cunning. They hid the drugs in thick and seamless objects so that the X-ray could hardly detect the drugs inside," said Cao Chen, deputy director of the express delivery supervision department of the Pudong airport customs.
Cao said the business volume of deliveries surged in the past decade with the fast growth of the global express delivery services.
Last year, there were 36.35 million express deliveries imported to and exported from Shanghai, about five times the volume of 2002. So far, the average daily volume is around 100,000 deliveries.
"We have almost tripled our staff numbers in the last decade to cope with the situation of growing drug trafficking, but 111 inspectors are still far from enough when faced with such a big volume of shipments and deliveries," Cao said.
"Apart from inspectors' experience, we rely on a lot on risk evaluation systems and the help from international express companies to find drug-containing deliveries," he said.
Last month, airport customs seized 947.7 grams of heroin hidden in children's toy guitars sent from Malaysia. They also seized cocaine in a well-made noodle press machine.
Custom inspectors at the Pudong International Airport seized nearly 27 kilograms of drugs hidden in 15 express deliveries from January to last month.
The number was higher than the total number of last year, which was about 20 kilograms in 13 deliveries, and is predicted to hit a new record at the end of this year.
"The drug traffickers are getting more and more cunning. They hid the drugs in thick and seamless objects so that the X-ray could hardly detect the drugs inside," said Cao Chen, deputy director of the express delivery supervision department of the Pudong airport customs.
Cao said the business volume of deliveries surged in the past decade with the fast growth of the global express delivery services.
Last year, there were 36.35 million express deliveries imported to and exported from Shanghai, about five times the volume of 2002. So far, the average daily volume is around 100,000 deliveries.
"We have almost tripled our staff numbers in the last decade to cope with the situation of growing drug trafficking, but 111 inspectors are still far from enough when faced with such a big volume of shipments and deliveries," Cao said.
"Apart from inspectors' experience, we rely on a lot on risk evaluation systems and the help from international express companies to find drug-containing deliveries," he said.
Last month, airport customs seized 947.7 grams of heroin hidden in children's toy guitars sent from Malaysia. They also seized cocaine in a well-made noodle press machine.
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