Over 25kg of prohibited cannabis plant material found in foreign passenger's luggage bound for France

The Department of Vietnam Customs reported on Friday that authorities had handled two cases involving the illegal transportation of goods by passengers through Noi Bai International Airport in October, involving approximately 25.4kg of dried cannabis plant material and over 400 heated tobacco sticks.

Dried cannabis material hidden in suitcase bound for France

According to the Department of Vietnam Customs, at 10:45 pm on October 25, customs officials working with police detected suspicious signs in the checked luggage of a Spanish passenger at the transit baggage screening area of Noi Bai International Airport.

The passenger was traveling on flight VN922 before connecting to flight VN19 from Noi Bai to Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, scheduled to depart at 11:50 pm the same day.

A scan revealed a rectangular package inside the suitcase. Upon physical inspection, authorities found two vacuum-sealed packages wrapped in yellow-and-white plastic, each measuring about 40 by 70 centimeters.

The packages contained approximately 25.4kg of dried cannabis plant material, including flowers, leaves, stems, and buds, according to the Department of Customs. Such material is prohibited under Vietnamese law, as cannabis is classified as a narcotic substance.

The case was handed over to the Drug Crime Investigation Police Division of Hanoi Police for further investigation and handling.

Four passengers caught carrying over 400 heated tobacco sticks

The Department of Vietnam Customs said that in October, Noi Bai International Airport customs officials also identified suspicious items in the luggage of four passengers who had not declared any goods, following scans of checked baggage and inspections at Terminal 2's international terminal.

A physical inspection uncovered a total of 405.5 heated tobacco sticks of various TEREA brands. 

One passenger, identified as L.V.T., carried 112 sticks; D.T.K. had 104; T.N.T.U. had 80; and B.T.H. carried 109 sticks and five packs.

According to the Department of Vietnam Customs, heated tobacco products are on Vietnam's list of prohibited imports. The cases are under investigation and being handled in accordance with regulations.

Luu Manh Tuong, deputy director of the Department of Vietnam Customs, said the agency was stepping up efforts to combat smuggling and the illegal cross-border transportation of goods.

In the first nine months of 2026, customs officials detected more than 17,000 violations, nearly matching the total recorded in all of 2025, he said.

Violations involving misrepresentation of the quantity, type and classification of goods, as well as intellectual property infringements, remain widespread. 

Smuggling methods are also constantly evolving in an effort to evade authorities.