Many prohibited goods in container backlog at Cat Lai port

	Working off 20 containers of banned meat - bone meal
	Handling many criminal cases of smuggling
	Prosecution for smuggling of consumer goods through Cat Lai port

Prohibited goods were seized by Customs officers at Cat Lai port on 2nd March 2017. Photo: T. H.

Last week, the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1 decided to conduct physical inspections of an imported container with prohibited imports inside. According to Mr. Le Nguyen Linh, the Deputy Manager of the Customs Branch of Saigon Port Zone 1, the above container came Cat Lai port in May 2016 declared by Chung Mai Service Trading Production Co., Ltd (at Tan Phu District, HCM City). The manifest of the company showed that the container included used machinery and equipment. Through physical inspections, Customs officers discovered that all the goods in the container were household electrical appliances, such as: used refrigerators, washing machines and electric kettle, belonging to the list of prohibited imports.

Earlier, on 13th March 2017, the Customs Branch of Saigon Port Zone 1 coordinated with the Southern Smuggling Control Team (Team 3) - the Department of Investigation and Anti-smuggling under the General Department of Vietnam Customs and the Government Inspectorate to conduct physical inspections of 3 containers with imported goods of Trung Thanh Logistics Import Export Company Limited (at Binh Thanh District, HCM City) to detect hundreds of prohibited automobile engines. This shipment came Cat Lai port – HCM City from the middle of 2015, after the opening of 3 Customs declarations (2 declarations were classified in the Yellow Channel and 1 declaration was classified in the Red Channel), the company did not come to receive goods although Customs authorities called many times.

According to the leader of the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1, the above containers have remained at Cat Lai port for a long time but no enterprises have received. Through the review and detection of suspicious consignments, the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1 has carried out pre-screening and surveillance. However, after many months, the company owning these containers did not come to receive the goods and the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1 issued a decision to conduct physical inspections of these containers.

In addition to 4 containers with prohibited goods as mentioned above, on 2nd March 2017, at Cat Lai port - Ho Chi Minh City, Team 3 – the Department of Investigation and Anti-smuggling collaborated with the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1 (Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department) to issue 2 decisions to inspect prohibited goods in 2 imported consignments. According to the decision of inspections, the first consignment was owned by M.I.C Trading Limited Company (Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City) and the second consignment was owned by Tan Loc Phat Import - Export Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City).

Both of the consignments were imported through Cat Lai port from May 2016. Detecting suspicious signs, Team 3 coordinated with the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1 to carry out surveillance. However, since the consignments were imported, two companies did not come to conduct Customs procedures, so Team 3 issued a decision to conduct physical inspections and detected a series of used car engines which were on the list of prohibited imports and the other consignment was full of consumer goods such as used electrical appliances.

According to the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1, due to the implementation of risk management, enterprises take advantage of loopholes to import smuggled goods and prohibited goods into the country. Imported cargoes and containers at Cat Lai port have been increasing dramatically. Currently, there are hundreds of derelict containers imported through Cat Lai port. Through the review of the container backlog, the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1 has classified the above containers. For suspected cargo containers after pre-screening, the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1 will tighten supervision of consignments including prohibited goods and smuggled goods. If these containers exceed the time of storage at the port, the Customs Branch of Saigon Port, Zone 1 will consider taking preventive measures such as: further verification and handling of the backlog.

Cat Lai port congested due to container backlog VCN- Many containers were imported at Cat Lai port from 2014 to the end of 2016, but ...

In addition, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, in recent times, there have been enterprises conducting Customs procedures for transportation of illegal goods or smuggled goods through border gates. Accordingly, the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has requested Customs Branches to pay much attention to inspections and control of consignments through border gates, especially for used machinery and equipment at a high risk of tax fraud and tax evasion.