“Bogus” company smuggles 50 containers of precious wood

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50 containers of woods were seized. Photo: T.H

Precious wood in Cites

In January 2020, a shipment of 50 containers of wood was imported to SP-ITC port in Ho Chi Minh City. The customs declaration for this shipment was opened byInbe Asia Co., Ltd. (address: 51 Nguyen Xi, Ward 26, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh city). According to the declaration, the imported goods were declared as Afzeiiaxylocarpa,lumbered, unprocessed, with a length of 3.6m-5.8m, a width of 19cm-36cm and a height of 16cm-28cm.

Suspecting this shipment, on January 10, 2020, at SP-ITC port of Ho Chi Minh City, Southern Region Anti-smuggling Enforcement Team (Team 3), Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Customs ) took the lead and coordinated with Saigon port area 1 Customs Branch and the Customs Enforcement Team (HCMC Customs Department) to inspect all 50 containers.

As a result, Customs authorities found that the goods differed from the customs declaration. All wood was large logs and originating from Africa. At the inspection site, specialized inspection agencies said that wood was likely to be West African Narra Padauk in the Cites and needed an import permit from a specialized agency.

Due to the large amount of imported woodof different sizes, it took weeks for customs to count and verify it. The shipment was estimated at about 1,000 m3, worth more than VND 10 billion.

Registered business address of Inbe Asia Co., Ltd is a grocery store. Photo:T.H

Suspected as “bogus” company

According to Mr. Tran Van Thanh, Deputy Head of Team 3, to import Narra Padauk, there must be a permit from the specialized agency of the exporting country and the importing country. However, the importer wrongly declared the name of goods to cheat the authorities, butwas discovered and arrested at the port. The trick of the smuggler in importing the above-mentioned shipment is to go around many countries to hide the origin of the goods, mislead the authorities at the port. At the same time, the importer made wrong declarations of the goods name.

Besides, after the shipment went through channel classification, the company came to Saigon port area I Customs branch to submit the dossier for customs clearance. However, when the Customs authorities suspected the type of wood, and requested specialized inspection, Inbe Asia Co., Ltd avoided and refused to work with them.

Investigating the company, Team 3 discovered many suspicious signs. Specifically, verifying the business registration address of the company at 51 Nguyen Xi, Ward 26, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, the Team 3 discovered that this place was a grocery store selling sugar, milk, rice and did not have signs or any companies operating here.

Notably, after being requested by the Customs for physical inspection of the goods, Inbe Asia Co., Ltd. refused to receive the goods and tried to change the manifest to another consignee named HTL Import and Export Trading and Service Company Limited (located at ground floor, 469 Dien Bien Phu, Ward 3, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City). However, according to the leader of Team 3, according to the regulations, in this case, the declaration was classified, the company submitted the dossier for customs clearance and the declaration was not cancelled so legal responsibility remains on Inbe Asia Co., Ltd.

Currently, Team 3 is continuing to investigate and clarify a company behind the Inbe Asia Co., Ltd to import the above wood.

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Inbe Asia Co., Ltd. was established in late 2010 and officially operated in January 2011. The legal representative is Mr. Do Thai Toan, the company is in operation status. However, at the business registration address of the company, there is no companies operating, no name plate and a grocery store.