One report from the ministry showed that, since late November, a total of 58 kilos of methamphetamine have been found drifting onto beaches in central provinces from Quang Tri to Binh Thuan.
On November 29, police in Quang Nam Province reported to the ministry the discovery of 22 kilos of drugs found at local beaches.
According to Quang Nam Police, a 71-year-old man, Tran Tuan, found a bag containing 20 packages, while walking along a beach in Nui Thanh District's Tam Tien Commune on November 16. The packages had green plastic covers with foreign letters on them. He brought the bag home, opened one of the packages, and found white substances. The man thought the substances might be drugs and informed the local police and border officers.
Local people have been called on to hand over similar finds to local border guards as they continue their search.
Later on November 21, a fisherman in Danang City also found two similar packages on Son Thuy Beach and informed local authorities. Searching along the beach, border officers found yet another similar package.
Quang Nam Police sent samples of the substance for testing; results showed that it was methamphetamine.
Earlier on November 14, one local resident in Binh Thuan Province also informed local police that he found a bag containing 20 kilos of suspected drugs at a beach in Long Hai Commune.
However, local authorities in those areas have yet to identify where the packages originated from.