Risk in management of petrol when go through customs supervision

Lang Son Customs Department said the unit is assigned to manage 22 places of gathering, inspecting and supervising import and export goods and seven bonded warehouses. In particular, Chi Ma Customs Branch manages seven locations and four bonded warehouses; Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch manages two locations; Coc Nam Customs Branch managed directly four locations and two bonded warehouses and Tan Thanh Customs Branch manages nine locations and one bonded warehouse.

In the process of deploying management, Lang Son Customs Department emphasised that, at present, in ​​places for gathering, inspecting and supervising import-export goods recognised by the General Department of Vietnam Customs, besides construction items under provisions of Decree 68/2016/ND-CP dated July 1, 2016 of the Government and Circular No. 84/2017/TT-BTC dated August 15, 2017 of the Ministry of Finance such as working places of customs officials, warehouses for holding exhibits of violations, places of inspecting goods the enterprises operating warehouses and yards have built other works like the enterprises’ offices, services (eating, sleeping, resting) to serve employees and drivers that have goods gathered at the place of gathering, inspecting and supervising import and export goods.

Clause 7, Article 3 of Decree 68/2016/ND-CP stipulates: “The place of gathering, inspecting and supervising imported and exported goods is an area serving for gathering, customs inspection and supervision for import and export goods; have the functions of keeping and preserving import and export goods to wait for implementing customs procedures.

Thus, the construction of other service provision facilities in places of gathering, inspecting and supervising import and export goods is not specified yet.

Huu Nghi Customs officials checked imported mixer truck. Photo: H.Nụ

At the Huu Nghi Customs Branch, there was a difficulty in supervising goods going in and out of the place of gathering, inspecting and supervising import-export goods at the border of Xuan Cuong Co., Ltd because the firm built an internal petrol station to supply fuel for the company's vehicles and vehicles using services in the gathering area.

On April 28, 2020, the General Department of Vietnam Customs issued a letter requesting Lang Son Customs Department to conduct an on-site inspection and proposed for extension. After that, Lang Son Customs Department implemented on-site inspection and reported Xuan Cuong Co., Ltd was building a petrol station in the gathering place. The petrol station of Xuan Cuong Co., Ltd has been completely constructed (two petrol pumps have been already installed).

Talking to Customs News, a representative of Lang Son Customs Department said the construction of a petrol station by Xuan Cuong Co., Ltd. was based on the agreement of the People's Committee of Lang Son and the Industry and Trade Department of Lang Son. The People's Committee of Lang Son province agreed to allow Xuan Cuong Co., Ltd. to invest in the construction of a third-class petrol station in a warehouse area under an investment project of bus station car and other transshipment stations of passenger and cargo, the gathering place of import and export goods of Xuan Cuong Co., Ltd at Huu Nghi international border gate.

A representative of Lang Son Customs Department said that at Huu Nghi international border gate, there were large numbers of vehicles transporting imported goods of China to the place of gathering, inspecting and supervising import and export goods of the company every day. Xuan Cuong Ltd. and vehicles transporting Vietnamese exported goods to China for returning goods.

“Therefore, bringing petroleum products into the customs supervision area (the place of gathering, inspecting and supervising import and export goods of Xuan Cuong Co., Ltd) would cause potential risks in customs management for petroleum,” Lang Son Customs said.

Lang Son Customs Department added that before the above situation, the unit reported and requested directives from the General Department of Vietnam Customs. At the same time, the Huu Nghi Customs Branch was instructed to strengthen supervision of the operation of petrol stations in places of gathering, inspecting and supervising import and export goods of Xuan Cuong Co. Ltd.