Lang Son: “Tightens” handling the act of using invoice to illegally transport goods

Competent force inspected violated goods that were transported by vehicle with license plate No. 98B-027.90, driven by Nguyen Van Hien, seized on 20/10. Photo provided by Market Management of Lang Son province

Increase in number of violation

A representative of Market Management of Lang Son province said that, recently, when the Covid-19 pandemic was basically controlled, the demand of goods at provinces has increased. To transport goods and avoid the control of competent forces, smugglers and illegal transporters have used the tactic of bringing goods from the border to the person’s house, then use sales invoices and VAT invoices for circulation in the market. In some cases, the subjects have divided goods into small packages, made retail invoices and transported them via passenger cars and trucks along many routes to elude competent forces to transport deeply into provinces for consumption.

According to Dang Van Ngoc, Director of Market Control Department and Deputy Director of Steering Committee 389 of Lang Son province, through checking goods circulating in the market, forces found most of the goods at the time of inspection, individuals or the transporter had presented sale invoices to prove the origin of the goods. However, through inspection, basic invoices stated the names of goods not specifically, incorrect trade name of goods; price on invoice is very low compared to reality.

When the competent forces inspect and verify the legality of individuals, the invoice issuer all confessed they gathered and bought unknown origin goods of the objects carrying and transporting smuggled goods from China to Vietnam to sell and earn profit. Many objects were also trading goods and issuing invoices between business establishments to cause difficulties for the competent forces when detected and inspected.

On October 29, the Market Management Department of Lang Son province issued a decision to sanction an administrative violation for the amount of VND 20 million and forced Dao Dinh Cuong - the person who issued the invoice to return illegal benefits due to committing administrative violations with the amount of more than VND 46 million. This is the result after the market management force of Lang Son cooperated with Team 389 of Lang Son province to inspect a car driven by Nguyen Van Hien (residing in Tan Thanh village, Phi Mo commune, Lang Giang district, Bac Giang province) to transport 20 packages bought by Dao Dinh Cuong and issued with sales invoices.

In the last days of October, the Lang Son Market Management force temporarily seized a large number of smuggled goods worth up to hundreds of million VND transported on 16-seat vehicles for domestic consumption. After conducting inspection, most drivers presented sales invoices issued by business households in the area of ​​Dong Dang town, Tan Thanh and sold to individuals in Bac Giang or Hanoi. The Market Control force is temporarily detaining goods, vehicles and invoices for verification, and at the same time, issuing a sanctioning decision and forcing to pay back the illegal profits.

Representatives of Tan Thanh Customs Branch said that through the inspection and control of means of transport on exit and entry into the country at the border gate area, goods were transported from Tan Thanh border gate inland on all types of means of transport and had sales invoices , on the invoice showing the sellers are households trading invoice in the area and they were not business households trading goods (at present, there were about 500 kiosks or shops having business registration certificates and paying annual license tax in accordance with regulations in Tan Thanh border gate area).

According to the survey results and research at kiosks and shops conducted by Tan Thanh Customs branch, most of these business households only sell goods directly without issuing VAT invoices to buyers. When the buyer needs to get invoices and documents to transport to inland, they are legalised by buying sales invoices from households which trading invoices (form 02 GTTT3/001).

When considering and handling violation cases, when working with business households trading invoice to verify and clarify the origin of goods sold on invoices, competent forces of the Steering Committee 389 Lang Son province showed individuals, establishments and business households do not have business activities on buying and selling goods but only issue invoices to buyers who need them to legalise goods in the process of transport and circulation of goods.

Tighten control

Facing this situation, the Steering Committee 389of Lang Son province requested the forces to tighten coordination in inspection and control to detect and strictly handle those who have taken advantage of invoices and documents to legalise smuggled goods in the province, focusing on the area of ​​Tan Thanh border gate, Coc Nam border gate, Dong Dang town, transporting goods on the routes from the border gate to the inland and warehouses, other gathering points in the province to prevent smuggling and ensure the control of the area. At the same time, creating favorable conditions for goods trading and business in border areas.

At the same time, Lang Son Tax Department needs to strengthen management, inspection and supervision of issuance and use of invoices by organisations and individuals doing business in the province to effectively prevent fraud on the origin of goods, prices in the sale invoices; detecting and strictly handling organisations and households trading invoices or having illegal use of invoices to help subjects to legalise smuggled goods. Police and market management forces in Lang Son province needed to strengthen coordination and synchronous implementation of professional measures to detect and strictly handle the lines, convergence and the leader of smuggling lines, warehouse owners gather contraband goods, counterfeit goods, banned goods. In particular, strictly controlling routes and means of vehicles that frequently transport smuggled and illegal goods inland.