Binh Phuoc province is sophisticated area on smuggling and trade fraud

	Binh Phuoc Customs: Actively implement administrative reform and business support
	Binh Phuoc Customs: Effectively supports for enterprises
	Binh Phuoc Customs removes shortcomings for border gate enterprises

Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai chaired the working session with Binh Phuoc Customs Department on May 9. Photo: N.H

At the working session, Deputy Minister Vu Thi Mai, Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Hoang Viet Cuongand the working delegation listened to Binh Phuoc Customs Department’s report on its working performance in the first four months of 2019. They discussed contents related to the Customs management and control, tax management, anti-smuggling and trade fraud in the province.

According to Binh Phuoc Customs Department, in the first four months of 2019, the department accomplished key tasks. Revenue collection reached 198.38 billion VND, up 7.78% compared to 2018. For anti-smuggling and trade fraud, the department detected eight cases of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across border gate, one customs offence case and handled 59 administrative violations with total value of infringing goods of over 526 million VND. Smuggling cases fell by 38.5%, administrative violations rose 20% and infringing goods went up 75.7% in value compared to 2018.

Binh Phuoc Customs Department said that Binh Phuoc is a complicated area with risk of transporting and trade fraud via goods in transit andtemporary import for re-export. Meanwhile, the customs force is still weak, border route is long and many industrial zones are scattered in customs branches, so the department faced difficulties in managing and coordinating when incidents occurred.

The Department has made great efforts to strictly control and prevent violations in the province. For the area outside the province, the department has strengthened coordination with relevant agencies, especially Steering Committee 389 to provide information and tackleviolation cases. From the beginning of the year to now, the department recordedeightcases of cigarette smuggling, two cases of illegal transportation and seized 2,400 smuggled cigarette packages and 1.7318 grams of ecstasy.

The leaders of the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs have highly appreciated the efforts of Binh Phuoc Customs Department in the context that the workload increased and the staff has not increased. Binh Phuoc Customs Department has made great efforts in implementing administrative tasks and administrative reforms.

Regarding revenue collection, Mai said that although it has made great efforts, the revenue collection of Binh Phuoc Customs Department in the first four months was still low compared to the whole Customs sector; it needs make more effort to not only facilitate businesses but also reduce the workload of customs officers and improve labour productivity.

In terms of anti-smuggling, Binh Phuoc is a target area with international border gate, long border route and many tracks and trails ideal for smuggling. Binh Phuoc Customs Department should supervise and closely control the area, especially, goods in transit and temporary import for re-export. It must also actively coordinate with competent agencies in and outside the sector to effectively prevent smuggling and trade fraud.

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Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Hoang Viet Cuong also said that Binh Phuoc Customs Department should not be subjective in anti-smuggling, because this is a hot area of smuggling. It needs to heighten vigilance over the risk of smuggling and trade fraud via goods in transit, temporary import for re-export and bonded warehouses. In the revenue collection, it should pay attention to prevent revenue losses with price code groups, C/O, etc. Especially, Chon Thanh Customs Branch is the branch that accounts for the total revenue of the whole department, it should note the risk of fraud via C/O to prevent revenue losses. The Department should review the handling tax debt and implement enforcement measures to prevent losses even for debt groups waiting for deletion. It should coordinate with customs branches and Post Clearance Audit Department to assess risk. The satisfaction indicators of enterprises also need to be reviewed to effectively implement.

The leaders of the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs also requested Binh Phuoc Customs Department continue building forces and enhancing discipline to meet the requirements of assigned tasks.