Lao Cai Customs prevents establishment of hot spots for smuggling

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A suspect and smuggled medical masks arrested by Lao Cai Customs Enforcement Team in 2020.

Lao Cai Customs Department has directed Customs Enforcement Teams and customs branches to develop plans on prevention of hot spots for smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and illegal cross-border transportation of goods.

Talking to reporters, the representative of Lao Cai Customs Department said that to effectively perform anti-smuggling work in the peak period before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2021, the department has focused on analyzing, assessingand determining targeted suspects and areas to have specific and effective plans.

Accordingly, targeted suspects who frequently cross the border with unspecific purposes or drivers across border; border residents, and porters. Especially suspects trafficking, transporting and using drugs; suspects with signs of illegal income or participating in smuggling and money laundering activities.

“The area for inspecting import and export goods, entry and exit of luggage at Lao Cai Border Gate and customs clearance sites for import and export goods at Kim Thanh; the area along Nam Thi river border route from Teo street in Lao Cai Ward, Lao Cai City to Nam So village, Ban Phiet commune, Bao Thang district; or the area from Duyen Hai ward, Lao Cai city to Quang Kim commune, Bat Xat district; Lao Cai station area, Dong Pho Moi industrial park with ICD, bonded warehouses are identified as areas with high risks of smuggling, commercial fraud, illegal cross-border transportation of goods,” leader of the Anti-Smuggling and Violation Handling Division (Lao Cai Customs Department) said.

Lao Cai Customs Department determined that during the peak period of the Lunar New Year, there are many targeted items at risk of smuggling, including drugs, weapons, explosives, flammable substances, firecrackers, fireworks, dangeroustoys, harmful cultural products with false content about the sovereignty of islands; or goods with high tax rates and easily abusingpolicy such as: minerals, tobacco, used machinery, poultry and products processed from poultry, frozen foods, and supplemental food, alcohol, beer, cigarettes and consumer goods.

Under the Anti-Smuggling and Violation Handling Division, the leader of the department has directed its subordinate units to synchronously apply operational measures to promptly detect, prevent, arrest and strictly handle violations, and prevent hot spots of smuggling, trade fraud, illegal cross-border transportation of counterfeit and prohibited goods. The leading role is the Customs Enforcement Team and border gate customs branches.

Accordingly, the Customs Enforcement Team is required to coordinate with customs branches, relevant forces, local committees and governments to strengthen information exchange and build plans. Arrange forces to patrol and monitor the area and smugglers in border gates and all border routes. Take operational customs control measures, promptly detect, prevent, arrest and handle strictly acts of smuggling, trade fraud and illegal cross-border transportation of goods.

In particular, the Customs Enforcement Team must be take full responsibility forstopping smuggling and trade fraud, and customs officers who lack responsibility, commit negative acts, corruption and covering up smuggling and trade fraud.

Border-gate customs branches are responsible forthe direction of the compliance with operational processes. Assign specific tasks to each customs officer to strictly follow the processes and associate them with the responsibilities, tasks and powers of each officer. Strengthen the inspection and supervision for import and export goods; people, luggage, and vehicles on exit and entry.

Talking to Customs News, Head of Customs Enforcement Team (Lao Cai Customs Department) Dinh Duc Cuong said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, both Vietnam and China have strengthened border control, so that the illegal transportation of goods across trails and border crossings does not take place as before. However, to effectively prevent smuggling, the team has still arranged all officers to be on duty in the peak period and strengthened monitoring of the situation to promptly detect and handle individuals and organizations with signs of violation.

Among the border gate customs branches, Lao Cai International Border Gate Customs Branch has the largest quantity of goods. According to the manager Le Phuong, amid the pandemic, the two sides of the border gate do not have many risks of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border. Therefore, the branch will focus on control to prevent smuggling in Kim Thanh International Border Gate Area.

“The branch will strengthen operational measures and coordination with relevant forces to effectively control in the border area and prevent the abuse of import and export activities for smuggling and illegal transportation of goods, including counterfeit trademark goods and goods infringing intellectual property rights,” Phuong said.