Anti-smuggling at the end of the year against from firecrackers, cigars to drugs and minerals

	Illegal transportation of firecrackers near Lunar New Year 2020
	Stressfully prevent smuggled firecrackers
	Unmask the trick of hiding 46kg of firecrackers inside cab

On October 24, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Unit under the Anti-Smuggling and Investment Department and Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch inspected and seized three imported suitcases of cigars. Photo: T.H

Smuggling increases day by day

Recent meetings of authorities and the results of arrests in the northern, central and southern regions have shown the heat of smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and illegal transportation of goods across the border gates day after day.

At a meeting to review task performance in the third quarter and implement tasks for the fourth quarter of 2019 held by the National Steering Committee 389, Director General of Vietnam Customs Nguyen Van Can warned about the complex development of smuggling. Infringing goods are not only traditional commodities such as alcohol, beer, cigarettes and firecrackers but also banned goods and minerals which are hot commodities. Recently, Customs detected a case related to 21 ore containers and transferred the files to the Investigation Police Department (under the Ministry of Public Security) to prosecute the case and arrested the Director of VC Economic Cooperation and Import-Export Joint Stock Company (in Hanoi) for smuggling.

According to Can, drug crimes have taken place complicatedly and unpredictably. The violations no longer occur on trails and tracks, but at land border gates, airways, seaways and through express delivery. The drugs are hidden in means of immigration, import and export goods, causing difficulties in prevention and handling.

Besides, foreign goods are taking advantage of Vietnamese origin continues. Foreign goods take advantage of Vietnamese origin not only for export to enjoy preferential tariffs but also for consumption in the domestic market.

Head of Standing Office of the National Steering Committee 389 Dam Thanh The emphasised that the trading, production, transportation of non-origin goods, counterfeit goods, low quality goods and and goods infringing intellectual property rights took place complicatedly with an increasing trend in all areas, especially in urban areas. Particularly, in August, the Investigation Police Department on Drug-related Crime (C04) (under the Ministry of Public Security) arrested eight Chinese people who rented a factory in Kon Tum province to illegally produce drugs, and seized 13 tonnes of drug precursor and 20 tonnes of machinery and equipment. If these subjects successfully produce, they will produce about one tonne of crystal meth.

Major General Ngo Thai Dung- Director of Drug and Crime Prevention Department (Command of Border Guard) said drug transportation cases are increasing in quantity and quality. Almost every day, the Border Guards arrest cases of drug smuggling and transportation.

“In addition, firecrackers also incur complicated signs. Previously, firecrackers were smuggled only on Tet holiday and transported from China to the inland. Currently, subjects transport at any time of the year in border gates of Laos and Cambodia into Vietnam. The Border Guard force has just seized nearly 13 tonnes of firecrackers declared as garlic import at Tan Thanh border gate," Dung said.

Strictly handling violated officers

Regarding the prevention and combat of smuggling in the peak period before, during and after the Lunar New Year, the representatives of competent forces said besides effectively implementing plans, a key task that ministries, sectors and localities need detect and handle strictly individuals and organisations engaged in anti-smuggling with signs and acts of violations.

Director General of Vietnam Customs Nguyen Van Can said if detecting violations across border gates and Customs control areas, Customs leaders will handle strictly. In addition, this is also the responsibility of the Border Guard in the border areas and the land border gates; responsibility of Border Guards and the Coast Guard in sea routes; responsibility of the Police force in the Airport; responsibility of the Market Surveillance, Police and Steering Committee of 389 of localities in the domestic market.

At the meeting to review task performance in the third quarter and implement the tasks for the fourth quarter of 2019 held by the Standing Office of National Steering Committee, Dam Thanh The continued to emphasised this task. According to the Prime Minister and the Head of the National Steering Committee 389 rewarded promptly officers who achieved positive results in anti-smuggling. Besides, officers who violated were strictly handled. Over the past time, some officers working in the anti-smuggling violated regulations and were arrested and handled according to the provisions of law such as some officers of the Market Surveillance Force in Nghe An, Soc Trang and other provinces. Also, the Border Guard High Command and the General Department of Vietnam Customs handled responsibilities of officials managing areas where occurred complicated cases. The Border Guard High Command dismissed the Head of Border Guard Station and reduced ranks of officers lacking responsibilities in complicated cases mentioned by the press.

Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai Member of the National Steering Committee 389 requested competent forces and localities to implement plans and directions of the Government and the Prime Minister. Focus on targeted commodities, firecrackers, drugs, ivory, rhino horn, counterfeit goods, goods infringing origin, and consumer goods with high demand in Tet holiday.

"Currently, there are many sophisticated and complicated tricks, there need the appropriate measures to investigate, detect and handle,” Deputy Minister Vu Thi Mai said.

Implement effectively plans of the National Steering Committee 389, especially plans related to goods temporarily imported for re-export and bonded warehouses; anti-fraud and tax evasion via e-commerce; counterfeit goods, low quality goods, intellectual property violations; and plans issued by the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Strengthen the inspection and direction in key areas; implement coordination between ministries, sectors and ministries, sectors with localities; and strengthen propaganda, especially propaganda for people not to support smugglers.

Deputy Minister Vu Thi Mai also proposed ministries, sectors and localities enhance political and ideological education and tightening discipline and regulation of offciers performing anti-smuggling work.