Dong Thap Customs investigates and prosecutes many cases of illegal transport of goods

Smuggled sugar seized by Customs Enforcement Team – Dong Thap Customs Department. Photo: T.H

Smuggling on roads and rivers

Head of the Customs Enforcement Team, Dong Thap Customs Department Nguyen Huu Tam said that regarding the case of storing 4,000 packs of foreign cigarettes, which are abandoned articles, discovered by the unit in coordination with competent agencies, the Investigation Police Agency of Hong Ngu District Police (Dong Thap) has just issued a decision to prosecute a criminal case.

According to the case file, on May 8, 2022, the Customs Enforcement Team coordinated with the So Thuong Customs Technical Team, Cau Muong Border Guard Station, Thuong Thoi Hau A Commune Police and Thuong Lac Commune Policer to organize the control of the river and road routes in the inland area bordering between Thuong Lac commune and Thuong Thoi Hau A commune. When arriving at the Coi Tieu canal area in Binh Hoa Trung hamlet, Thuong Thoi Hau A commune, the working group discovered that in a field near the canal, 16 plastic bags were gathered. It contained a total of 4,000 packs of smuggled foreign cigarettes. When the working group discovered the above goods at the scene, there was nobody there. Therefore, the Customs Enforcement Team temporarily seized the goods, made a dossier and transferred it to the police for investigation and clarification.

Previously, at the beginning of September 2022, Dinh Ba Customs Branch chaired and coordinated with Dinh Ba International Border Gate Border Guard Station to arrest and issue a decision to prosecute a criminal case related to the illegal transport of currency across border transfer (VND330 million). As a result, the case dossier has been transferred to Tan Hong District Police for further investigation and following the regulations.

Besides the cases of violation that were criminally prosecuted by the border gate customs branches, many violations detected and arrested by the Dong Thap Customs Department with criminal signs were transferred to other units for investigation and handling following their competency. Typically, there are cases such as the case of imported cars using fake documents that have been transferred to Dong Thap Provincial Police Investigation Agency. After a period of extensive investigation, up to now, this agency has prosecuted a criminal case.

Furthermore, the independent transportation of illegal timber shipments was detected by Dong Thap Customs Department and transferred the case dossier to the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department of the General Department of Vietnam Customs for investigation following its competence; two cases of seizing smuggled foreign cigarettes without owners, after customs office handed over to police agency, the case had been prosecuted by the Investigation Police Agency of Hong Ngu District Police.

Closely coordinate to control management area

According to Dong Thap Customs Department, from the beginning of 2022 to September 30, 2022, Dong Thap Customs Department detected and arrested 108 violations worth VND 2,576 billion. In particular, most cases were illegal transport of goods across the border and gathered goods in border areas. To achieve this result, according to the leader of Dong Thap Customs Department, besides the initiative of Customs, there was also the effective coordination of anti-smuggling forces in the area.

According to the assessment of the Director of Dong Thap Customs Department, Nguyen Thanh Toan, from the beginning of the year until now, the coordination between the police force and Dong Thap Customs has been maintained well based on the regulation on coordination between the two force and provisions of the law. As a result, the two forces have coordinated to detect, arrest and handle many cases of smuggling, illegal transportation and storage of goods, including high-valued goods helping to complete the main task of each sector. At the same time, the cooperation has created synergy in the fight against crime and other law violations, contributing to ensuring political security, economic security, stabilizing order and safety of the society in the operation areas.

Recently, Dong Thap Customs Department has chaired and coordinated to detect agricultural machinery and equipment smuggling. Recently, the case of smuggling of combine harvesters which Dong Thap Customs Department seized, was prosecuted by Dong Thap Police.

According to the assessment of the Dong Thap Customs Department, the smuggling and illegal transportation of goods tend to increase in the last months of 2022. Therefore, Dong Thap Customs Department leaders have directed units to arrange the force to control the customs management areas actively. At the same time, the unit coordinates with competent forces to strictly control areas on the border, promptly preventing smuggling and storing infringing goods.

Accordingly, border-gate customs units continue inspecting, supervising and controlling vehicles and goods imported and exported through the border-gate area strictly and comply with regulations; carrying out cargo supervision under management by GPS positioning seals; strictly comply with regulations on transit, temporary import and re-export, border-gate transshipment, and independent transportation; pay attention to the implementation of inspection and supervision measures to prevent counterfeit goods and false export of goods. They also strengthened border control under the direction of leaders at all levels.

The Customs Branches and Customs Enforcement Teams strictly manage the assigned operation areas; prevent the smuggling and transportation of banned goods, drugs, goods related to national security, and goods of high value in the customs management area. Also, the unit continues to strengthen the implementation of the prevention of smuggling and drug trafficking across the border; patrols and controls smuggling activities in the customs management area.