Pig importers investigated for evading quarantine

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Imported pig shipment by Bac-Trung-Nam Co., Ltd. Photo provided by Cha Lo border-gate Customs Branch

According to regulations, all imported and exported goods must undergo specialised inspection and get specialised inspection results before customs clearance. At Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch (Quang Binh Customs Department), most firms have well observed regulations on specialised inspection, specialised management for imported and exported goods, and submit all documents on time as prescribed.

However, during customs procedures for imported pigs, some firms deliberately evade quarantine and bring goods to the domestic market.

In February, Cha Lo border-gate Customs Branch issued a decision to prosecute Bac-Trung-Nam Co., Ltd. (Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi) for consuming 400 imported pigs subject to specialised inspection without customs permission and transferred the case to the Investigation Police Agency, Minh Hoa district’s police.

This act of the Bac-Trung-Nam Co., Ltd. commits a crime in trading of banned goods as provided in Article 190 of the Penal Code.

On December 26, 2020, Bac-Trung-Nam Co., Ltd. made procedures to import 1,050 live pigs for meat at Cha Lo border-gate Customs Branch.

At the time of procedure, the company presented a certificate of quarantine granted by Cha Lo Animal Quarantine Station under the Regional Animal Health Branch No. III.

Accordingly, Cha Lo border-gate Customs Branch has allowed the company to bring the goods to the quarantine area at Dau Cau street, Ba Hang ward, Pho Yen town, Thai Nguyen.

The company on January 21, 2021 submitted to the Customs the Certificate of Imported Animal Quarantine (No. 03 / CN-KDĐVNK dated January 9, 2021 issued by the Regional Animal Health Branch No. II) as well as the sanctioning decision (No. 04 / QÐ-XPVPHC dated January 8, 2021 of the Department of Animal Health) for bringing imported animals to the quarantine area in quantity different from the quarantine records. The decision stated through physical inspection in the quarantine area, the Animal Health agency discovered only 650 pigs were quarantined and the other 400 pigs were not.

Through information collection and analysis, Cha Lo border-gate Customs Branch found the above shipment was not preserved and quarantined in accordance with regulations.

Under current regulations, the branch inspected the goods preservation by the company and worked with animal health agencies for verification.

Working with Cha Lo border-gate Customs Branch, Cha Lo Animal Quarantine Station confirmed when the goods arrived at the border gate, the station counted 1,050 pigs which met quarantine requirements. After sealing the barrels of each means of transport, the station issued a certificate of animal quarantine to bring the animals to the quarantine area and provided information to the Regional Animal Health Branch II for inspection, supervision and conducting other quarantine steps.

On January 25, 2021, the Department of Livestock, Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries also confirmed they did not grant acertificate of quarantine to Bac-Trung-Nam Co., Ltd

Then, on January 26, 2021, Cha Lo border gate Customs Branch worked with Regional Animal Health Branch II. As a result, the branch confirmed that on December 28, 2020, at the quarantined area, the company had only 650 pigs. The other 400 pigs that were not quarantined was recorded and reported to the Department of Animal Health. The Regional Animal Health Branch II granted a certificate of quarantine for 650 imported pigs.

On January 29, 2021, the delegation of Cha Lo border-gate Customs Branch worked with representatives of the company. Chu Trong Dung, Chairman of the Board of Members cum General Director of the company admitted the company imported 1,050 live pigs but only presented the certificate of quarantine for 650 live pigs. For the remaining 400 live pigs, the company sold them without the certificate of quarantine.

400 imported live pigs not yet undergone quarantine VCN- A company declared 1,050 imported pigs, but after these pigs were brought to the quarantine place, ...

According Customs e-Magazine, Minh Hoa district police continued to worked with the company’s representatives to clarify the case.