Lang Son Customs: Strengthen control of origin fraud

Huu Nghi Customs officials (Lang Son Customs Department) checked imported goods. Photo: H.Nụ

From the incident arose

Nguyen Huu Vuong, Deputy Director of Lang Son Customs Department, said that over the past time, the unit realised that there were still many risks some enterprises took advantage of openness in electronic customs procedures to declare incorrect name of goods, quantity, type, code of goods and origin. Facing this fact, Lang Son Customs directed the customs units to regularly collect information on enterprises, subjects, import and export goods. The unit focused on the group of goods at high risk of fraud in value, with high tax rates, conditional import and export items, goods registered for intellectual property rights (IPRs) and businesses with high risks.

Regarding the work of inspection and supervision, recently (June 9, 2020), Huu Nghi Customs Branch temporarily stopped bringing goods to the supervision area for imported consignments transferring border gate via express delivery services of S1 Express Co., Ltd. at Pham Hung Street, Me Tri, Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi.

According to the declaration, there were 2,128 items in 117 packages. However, through physical inspection, Huu Nghi Customs Branch detected the shipment consisted of 2,384 items in 113 packages, the name and address of the recipient did not match with the detailed list on the customs dossier.

The above number was suspected counterfeit goods, infringing intellectual property rights, goods in the list of prohibited imports included five goods items packed in four packages including: 36 sets of car steering wheel airbags, branded Honda; 18 handbags with the Gucci logo; 20 shirts labelled Burberry brand and 25 pairs of sport shoes branded Adidas. In the shipment, the Customs authorities found 40 electronic devices used for used cars and special-use machines, on the list of goods banned from import.

Huu Nghi Customs sent a document to owners of the above brand to coordinate for verifying and the results showed that 25 pairs of Adidas sport shoes, 20 shirts labelled Burberry, 36 sets of car steering wheel airbags, branded Honda and 18 handbags with the Gucci logo were counterfeit goods.

Nguyen Huu Vuong said that the unit instructed the Huu Nghi Customs branch to work with the branch of Vinacontrol Hai Phong Group Joint Stock Company to determine the status of goods for 40 engine controllers for used cars and special-use vehicles.

With these results, Huu Nghi Customs determined the value of infringing goods was more than VND 30 million for counterfeit trademark and VND 28 billion of goods banned from import. Huu Nghi Customs Branch also made a record of administrative violations for "transporting goods with counterfeit trademarks" and "bringing into Vietnam goods in the list of goods prohibited from import" of S1 Express Company.

Tightened from customs procedure process

With the complex developments of the Covid-19 pandemic and the US-China trade war, it is forecast that the risk of infringing goods on IPRs and origin of goods of enterprises will increase. Therefore, Lang Son Customs Department said if there was no strict management measures, it would lead to violations, especially for transit goods which still had a lot of potential risk of violations.

The import and export of goods through border gates, especially Huu Nghi international border gate, has many risks. Some enterprises have taken advantage of the openness of electronic customs clearance system to declare incorrect name of goods, quantity, type, code of goods, origin for smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods across the border to earn profit.

“Facing the incident, Lang Son Customs directed the border gate Customs branches to inspect, closely supervise, control the origin and label of goods, protect intellectual property rights, and illegal transshipment of import and export goods. In particular, during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the unit strengthened its fight to prevent smuggling and trade frauds for the goods item serving for the prevention of Covid-19 pandemic, electronic equipment and medical equipment," Vuong emphasised.