Prosecuting a series of smuggling cases via Cat Lai Port

	Coordinating with the investigation agency to clarify 213 lost containers
	Vietnam Customs speaks about 213 containers in transit at Cat Lai port
	2 containers are full of used electric and refrigeration products at Cat Lai port

Banned imports were seized by Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department on 8th June 2017 at Cat Lai Port. Photo; T.H

According to Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, over a dozen of smuggling cases via Ho Chi Minh City Seaport mainly through Cat Lai port were criminally prosecuted by Customs (Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and Anti Smuggling and Investigation Department-General Department of Vietnam Customs).

As informed by the Anti-Smuggling Consultancy Division of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, in 15 cases which were prosecuted in the first seven months of 2017, 8 cases were prosecuted for “smuggling” and 7 cases for “illegal transport of goods across border gate”. In addition, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department prosecuted many smuggling cases in Cat Lai port.

The leader of Customs Enforcement Unit - Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department said that prosecuted smuggling cases were related to tricks that smugglers took advantage of goods in transit and goods transported from border gate to border gate to smuggle.

On 13th July 2017, Sai Gon Customs Branch Zone IV criminally prosecuted smuggling case relating to Takashi Import-Export Trading Joint Stock Company. According to the studying of the reporter, this company registered to Declaration No. 101182318420/A11. Through physical inspection, besides the goods shown on the declaration, Customs detected a number of goods which have not been declared, leading to the loss of tax payable. In which, the undeclared goods are subject to the List of banned imports.

Previously, at the end of May 2017, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch criminally prosecuted smuggling case relating to a shipment in transit to Cambodia. At the end of April 2017, the Customs Branch detected a shipment of used CT scanner worth over 3.2 billion VND. When implementing Customs procedures to import this shipment, Bee Logistic Corp. declared the shipment new 100% to avoid applying for the import license from Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Recently, after a long time of verification and investigation, the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department has issued 2 decisions on criminal prosecution for smuggling cases at Cat Lai Port (Ho Chi Minh city) including Asean Import and Export Technology Institute, and Thien Loc Phat Import and Export Exchange Service Trading Co., Ltd.

In May 2016, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Unit (Unit 3) - Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs) collaborated with Sai Gon Seaport Customs Branch Zone I to inspect the imported shipment of ASEAN Import and Export Technology Institute including banned goods such as: washing machine, refrigerators, cookers imported into Vietnam.

It is known that at the end of April 2016, the A Import and Export Technology Institute opened the electronic declaration to import a shipment of used metal engine cover for capacity less than 1 Kw and made in Japan.

Although signing on Customs declaration above shipment, the Company did not implement the Customs clearance as per regulation and refused to receive the shipment with reason that the Japanese Company wrongly sent to the Company address.

In the beginning of March 2016, Sai Gon Seaport Customs Branch Zone I collaborated with the Southern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Unit inspected and detected 2 containers of refrigeration products banned from import which were imported by Thien Loc Phat Import and Export Exchange Service Trading Co., Ltd (12 Nguyen Van Thu, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City). The containers were declared as connectors and plugs which were made in Japan.

2 containers at Cat Lai port were discovered many illicit goods VCN- 2 containers which have been inspected by the Southern Anti-Smuggling Team under the Department of Anti-smuggling ...

The shipment included banned and smuggled goods with worth over 100 million VND. Thereby, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department issued the decision on criminal prosecution for smuggling of Thien Loc Phat Company.

In addition to the 10 smuggling cases above, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department is expanding the investigation and verification of a number of huge smuggling cases for criminal prosecution.