Smuggled goods increase on the Tay Ninh border

Smuggler and material evidences of the smuggling case were seized by Moc Bai border gate Customs Branch on June 21, 2022. Photo: Văn Phú

Many violations

Tay Ninh Customs Department said that from the beginning of the year, the volume of exported and imported goods, passengers and means of transport on exit and entry through the border gate in the area increased sharply again. As of June 17, 2022, the total import and export turnover of goods in Tay Ninh reached US$1,578.9 million, an increase of 13% over the same period last year; the number of means of transport entering and exiting through the border gate was 2,288 and passengers on entry and exit reached 176,680.

Along with bustling trade activities, the smuggling, trade fraud, and illegal transportation of goods at border gate areas is complicated. They mainly smuggled consumer goods which were delivered by border residents from Cambodia to Vietnam via trails, openings and sides of the border gate. Some are drivers and assistants who reinforce means of transport in order to hide and transport goods across the border.

For example, on June 21, at the entry channel of Moc Bai international border gate complex checkpoint, Moc Bai border gate Customs Branch chaired and coordinated with the Moc Bai border guard station to inspect Tran Trong Tuan (born in 1970, living in Bien Hoa city, Dong Nai province) transporting many consumer goods from Cambodia to Vietnam. The exhibits were 20 cartons of Matilia liquid milk, 120 packs of Jet cigarettes without origin; 23 unbranded LED lights, made in China; a solar lamp and solar panels.

At the end of May, also at Moc Bai international border gate, Moc Bai border gate Customs Branch chaired and coordinated with the Customs Enforcement Team and Moc Bai Border Guard Station to inspect and detect four people illegally transporting 15kg of raw bird's nests that were not preliminarily processed across the border, worth about VND139 million.

Notably, at ​​Moc Bai and Xa Mat international border gates, which have long been hot spots for smuggling and illegal transport of goods across the border, smugglers always choose this place as an operation area.

In the last two days of May, during the patrol in Tam Pho and Phum Chom areas of Tan Chau district, Tay Ninh province, the Ka Tum border gate Customs Branch detected and arrested two cases of illegal transportation of 220 packs of Jet cigarettes (abandoned articles) across the border.

Tighten control

Some smugglers also took advantage of import and export activities to transport electronic items from Cambodia to Vietnam. However, the competent forces promptly detected and arrested the suspects. Accordingly, on June 15, at the entry channel of Moc Bai international border gate complex, the competent forces checked and discovered Nguyen Manh Thang (born in 1994 residing in Hanoi) transporting 46 used Iphone 7 plus and 6 plus and 40 used Redmi Note 11 phone.

Deputy Director of Tay Ninh Customs Department Vo Thanh Ngoan said that, in the near future, besides coordinating to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the management area, the unit will continue carrying out inspections, supervision and strict control of exported and imported goods, luggage and means of transport on exit and entry which have been effectively implemented by the affiliated units at border gates.

In particular, focusing on drivers, border residents, and vehicles that often pass through the border gate to deliver key goods such as firecrackers, drugs, cigarettes, wine, beer, gold, foreign currency, electronic goods, herbal ingredients, cosmetics, sugar, monosodium glutamate, confectionery, soft drinks, garments and some other consumer goods.

Furthermore, continuing to effectively implement the work of coordination with competent forces including Police, Border Guard, Market Management, Procuracy. At the same time, direct the Customs Branches to coordinate with the Steering Committee 389 of districts, towns and cities in order to effectively carry out the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and illegal transport of goods across the border.