HCM City Customs: Effectively combating revenue loss, contributing to increasing state revenue

Ho Chi Minh City Customs implemented anti-smuggling work. Photo: T.H

Revenue collection increased by more than VND7,000 billion

According to HCM City Customs Department, the unit focused on administrative reform and trade facilitation to help businesses restore production, imports and exports.

The Department issued a series of action plans, especially Plan No. 09/KH-HQTPHCM, marking the fifth consecutive year of implementing the commitment "business community and HCM City Customs are reliable partners". The theme for 2022 is "joining hands for economic recovery".

The whole department has participated in nearly 50 consultations on mechanisms, policies and laws, decrees, processes and regulations. Coordinated by Vietnam Logistics Business Association to organize online training with the topic: "RCEPT - challenges and opportunities" for more than 500 businesses in the city and the conference: "HCM City Customs Department and business community join hands in economic recovery"; as well as signing regulations on coordination with HCM City Logistics Association.

Moreover, trade facilitation has contributed to nurturing sources of state revenue. As of June 15, 2022, HCM City Customs Department collected and paid VND70,759 billion to the state budget, reaching 60.74% of the ordinance estimate; 59.21% of the striving target; and an increase of 12.9% (equivalent to more than VND7,300 billion) compared to the first six months of 2021.

In particular, the inspection, price consultation, and post-clearance audit helped increase State revenue by nearly VND200 billion. This result contributed significantly to the accurate and sufficient collection for the State budget.

In addition, the Department promptly detected, arrested and handled 1,309 cases of violations, an increase of more than 500 cases compared to the same period in 2021. The total value of infringing goods was VND1,961.7 billion. HCM City Customs Department imposed an administrative fine, with a monetary penalty of nearly VND23 billion and transferred case dossiers of 26 cases to another agency to prosecute.

Accordingly, there were 61 cases of drug-related violations and more than 150 kg of drugs of all kinds were seized including: 95.4 kg of marijuana, 8.0 kg of methaphetamine; 11kg of precursors; 18.76kg MDMA; 0.327kg cocaine and 18.81kg heroin.

In the first six months, the affiliated units under the Department have successfully closed many specialized projects on smuggling and illegal transportation of cannabis from the US and Canada; MDMA (ecstasy) - a synthetic drugs sent from some European countries with large scale and quantity in the form of non-commercial gifts via air, post, express delivery service to Vietnam and exporting illegally methamphetamine to Hong Kong.

Optimism in the second half of the year

According to the forecast of HCM City Customs Department, in the last six months of 2022, the state revenue will still be prosperous and stable because the Government, the Ministry of Finance, and People's Committee of HCM City have action and economic recovery plans. However, it will also be very difficult due to the impact of the economic recovery situation, the pandemic situation and the war between Russia and Ukraine that has affected European countries. The positive signal is that raw materials and production supplies still grow steadily, contributing to the creation of finished products for export and stabilizing the domestic market.

The turnover of high-tax products such as alcohol, beer, cosmetics, consumer goods, iron and steel, 9-seat cars, and aviation fuel is likely to recover because cause great demand of the domestic market and the reopening of the international tourism industry. The consumer market has also prospered, so the revenue collection will also increase.

Based on the actual situation of HCM City with the very positive import and export turnover of the first six months of 2022, it is forecasted that the last six months of 2022 still increase by 3% to 5%.

In order to well perform political tasks in the second half of the year, HCM City Customs Department continues to develop a plan to renovate thinking and act strongly, transform models, continue to facilitate trade, and creating a friendly business environment, and build many solutions to support the business community to develop the best, nurture the most effective budget revenue. In 2022, the business community continues to evaluate the HCM City Customs Department as: "Better service attitude - faster procedures - more satisfied businesses".

The Department also implemented Directive No. 439/CT-TCHQ dated February 11, 2022 of the Director General of Vietnam Customs on trade facilitation, implementing synchronous solutions to combat revenue loss in 2022. Determined to collect correctly and fully, avoiding the situation of intentionally delay to pay tax, to complete budget revenue exceeding the target of VND119,000 billion.

At the same time, strictly implementing Directive 384/CT-TCHQ dated February 8, 2022 of the General Department of Vietnam Customs on promoting administrative reform and simplifying customs procedures towards paperless customs in 2022.

Furthermore, effectively implementing Plan 1533/KH-HQHCM dated July 1, 2022 on digital transformation to 2025, with orientation to 2030 of HCM City Customs Department and the Digital Transformation Project on basic of investigation of import and export enterprises at HCM City Customs Department, thereby, contributing to the successful implementation of the Customs Development Strategy to 2030 which has been approved by the Prime Minister.