Customs implements peak plan on fighting against smuggling at the end of the year

	Customs sector has participated to destroy 131 cases about drugs
	Anti-smuggling at the end of the year against from firecrackers, cigars to drugs and minerals
	Nearly 12 tons of scrap seized at night

Ivory seized by Hai Phong Customs in January. Photo: T. Binh.

On November 12, Deputy General Director of Customs Nguyen Cong Binh signed and promulgated the peak plan on fighting smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and illegal cross-border goods transportation before, during, and after the Lunar New Year 2020.

The plan will be deployed from November 15, 2019 to February 15, 2020.

Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (under the General Department of Vietnam Customs) Nguyen Hung Anh said the department and units, especially the Customs enforcement force, have strengthened to collect information, understand the actual situation, patrol and control at land border gates, border economic zones, places gathering goods near the border areas, international seaports, water ports, international civil airports, post offices, international express delivery, international railway stations, and other areas under Customs control area.

They will also strictly control import and export goods and luggage of passengers on exit and entry at the end of 2019 and before, during, after the Lunar New Year 2020.

“In addition, it is necessary to identify targeted areas and routes, expect violations that may occur to develop plans to fight and take the initiative in arranging forces and applying measures to inspect, supervise, detect, arrest and handle,” Anh said.

The Customs force will prevent banned goods and goods affecting security and order, social security, goods forged with Vietnamese origin, low quality goods, consumer goods before, during and after the Lunar New Year such as weapons, drugs, petroleum, explosives, firecrackers, wildlife, mobile phones, textiles and garments, food, medicine, alcohol, beer, cigarettes, confectionery and cosmetics.

To implement effectively, according to Anh, units need to assign specific tasks to each division, the Customs Enforcement Unit, customs branch, team, unit under each specialised process to inspect and supervise import and export goods; intensify patrol and control, fight against smuggling and illegal cross-border transportation of goods at the management area.

An important requirement is to implement the peak anti-smuggling plan but ensure customs clearance, goods release and prevent the congestion at the border gates at the end of 2019 before, during, after the Lunar New Year 2020.