Detecting many cases of importing Chinese goods concealed origin

	Consider prosecuting the case of importing five containers of Chinese goods without lablel
	Five containers of Chinese goods without label detained
	Customs has blocked many Chinese counterfeit goods "Made in Vietnam"

Chinese goods without label and origin seized at Cat Lai Port at the end of April 2019. Photo: T.H

Unclear origin

Regarding imported goods with ASANZO brand, at the end of 2018, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department discovered Sa Huynh Trading Production Company imported thousands of ASANZO ovens from China but the company only declared spare parts and did not declare the origin of these ovens. This case is being investigated.

In addition to this case, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Control Team (Team No.3) under the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department of the General Department of Vietnam Customs has investigated the import of five containers Chinese kitchen appliances for prosecution.

At the end of April, Team No.3 coordinated with Sai Gon Seaport Customs Branch of Zone I to inspect five goods containers imported from China by Kim Long Import Export Trading and Production Co., Ltd and discovered more than 6,000 kitchen sinks, exceeding by more than 3,000 compared to the declaration and 1,000 sets of showers. The initial value of the shipment was about 2 billion VND.

Notably, these goods did not have labels of origin. According to Customs officers, the import of goods without label violated the Customs Law. If the shipment was successfully imported, it would have been labeled as high-end to deceive consumers.

The companies that imported these infringing goods were established in 2018. After 1-2 months of operation, these companies were detected and arrested at the border gate by Customs authority.

At the end of 2018, Team No. 3 coordinated with Sai Gon Seaport Customs Branch of Zone I also inspected a shipment imported from China and discovered 600 loudspeakers under the guise of Vietnam origin. When carrying out Customs procedures, the company only declared the goods as loudspeakers without label and Chinese origin. In fact, all products were labeled “made in Vietnam” and manufactured in Vietnam.

Customs authorities actively prevent

In recent times, trade fraud by labeling origin of imported goods is increasing. Accordingly, goods produced in China but under the guise of Vietnam origin to deceive domestic consumers are mainly electronic products, household applications, footwear, clothes, and cosmetics. Specifically, goods are produced and imported from China but are labeled “made in Vietnam”, with a barcode, address of manufacture in Vietnam. These goods are ordered by some Vietnamese person and then imported into Vietnam. Customs authorities have prevented them but when being discovered representatives of these importers ignored and blamed the issue on exporters.

Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has also detected cases of importing ceramic tiles from China but the product was labeled “made in Vietnam”.

Facing this problem, to prevent origin fraud and to protect consumers, the General Department of Vietnam Customs requested the directors of provincial and municipal Customs Departments to direct their Customs Branches to strengthen inspection and identification of origin and labels of imported goods in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 31/2018 / ND-CP, Circular 38/2018/TT-BTC, the process of origin inspection regulated by the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the Government's Decree No. 43/2017 / ND-CP and guiding documents of the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

For goods imported from China, when checking shipment dossier, and implementing the physical inspection (if any), the Customs officer must inspect the name, HS code, origin and labels of goods that must be consistent with them in the dossier of the imported shipment and certificates of goods origin (if any).

In case of discovering imported goods are labeled "Made in Vietnam", municipal and provincial Customs departments must verify clearly. In cases where goods have false instructions on goods origin, place of production, packaging and assembly, depending on specific violation, nature and violation level to handle according to criminal procedures or sanction administrative violations according to Clause 2, Article 13 of the Government’s Decree No. 185/2013/ ND-CP.

The IT Division shall work with the Import-Export Division of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department and the Ho Chi Minh City Planning and Investment Department to review enterprises related to ASANZO company.