Smugglers act spontaneously

	An Giang: Smugglers rented land to open roads for transporting smuggled goods
	Smuggling remains complicated on Ha Tien border
	Smugglers attack border post to steal exhibits

The meeting. Photo: Q.H

Attending the meeting were Director General of the General Department of Customs, member of the 389 National Steering Committee Nguyen Van Can; Chief of the Standing Office of the 389 National Steering Committee Dam Thanh The; representatives of the Government Office, General Department of Market Surveillance, General Department of Taxation; Department C03, Department A04, Office of Ministry of Public Security; Coast Guard Command, Border Guard Command; Inspection Agencies of Ministries: Health, Agriculture and Rural Development and Science and Technology.

Smuggling tends to increase

Speaking at the meeting, the Chief of the Standing Office of the 389 National Steering Committee Dam Thanh The emphasized that, along the border and road border gates, especially innorthern border provinces such as Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang Lao Cai, Son La, Lai Chau, and Dien Bien, smuggling and illegal cross-border trafficking of goods, trade fraud and counterfeit goods have tended to increase. Notably, smugglers have acted spontaneously and have been willing to attack competent forces when they are detected.

Typically, in Bac Giang, during a case of stopping and inspecting the car of a suspect, the suspect aggressively attacked the forces, killing an officer. Inspecting the car, the forces discovered two tons of mobile phone components without invoices and proof of origin.

In the border areas of the Central and Highland provinces, the situation of smuggling and illegal cross-border drug trafficking is also very complicated with many seizures of drugs of large volume.

Notably, drug crimes have shifted and increased in the provinces of the Vietnam-Laos border. Typically, in September 2020, in Ha Tinh, the Border Guard took the lead and coordinated with other competent forces to successfully handle the A3-220 case and seize 237.15 kg of drugs of all kinds.

On the southwestern border line, smugglers have taken advantage of loopholes of competent forces to perform acts of smuggling and illegal cross-border transportation of second-hand goods, sugar, cigarettes, etc.

On international postal and air lines, smugglers have focused on high-value and easy-to-hide goods such as gold, wildlife products, foreign currencies, cosmetics, western medicine, supplementary foods, high-end fashion, technology equipment, foreign alcohol, cigarettes and cigars.

At sea and seaports, smuggling of gasoline, oil, minerals, cigarettes, foreign alcohol, electronic goods, refrigeration, used machinery, animal products on the list of CITES, goods infringement of intellectual property have also increased.

In the domestic market, the production and trade of counterfeit goods, poor-quality goods and goods infringing intellectual property have tended to increase, especially medical equipment and goods for anti-pandemic purposes.

On the other hand, with the development of e-commerce activities, smugglers have taken advantage of postal warehouses to store and sell fake and poor-quality goods, causing considerable damageto the economy and people’s health.

Identify new methods and tricks

At this meeting, the Chief of the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee 389 said that to improve the effectiveness of the fight against trade fraud and counterfeiting in the fourth quarter of 2020, the 389 National Steering Committee requests the 389 Steering Committees of ministries, agencies, localities and heads of competent agencies to focus on the following tasks:

First, to continue to thoroughly grasp and seriously follow the directives of the Government, the Prime Minister, and the 389 National Steering Committee; carry out key tasks of 2020 assigned by the 389 National Steering Committee

Second, to strengthen communication and disseminate experience of competent forces in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeiting; spread the example of good people, good acts and to strengthen information so that people do not help smugglers and participate in crime denunciation and accompany competent forces in this work.

Third, ministries, agencies, localities and competent forces need to improve their capacity to identify new methods and tricks of smugglers, trade fraud, production and trading of fake goods to find instigators and ringleaders to prevent, fight and destroy lines and gangs.

Fourth, to strengthen the management of officers performing tasks, tighten discipline, enhance political education and ideology, and to encourage officers to uphold their sense of responsibility in their work; to promote inspection and examination of public service; to clarify the responsibilities of the leader according to each locality and field in charge; to transfer or propose to transfer or replace heads of agencies and units who do not meet the requirements, and show signs of covering up and tolerating smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods; and to seriously handle violations.

Smugglers becoming more violent VCN - Smugglers have become increasingly sophisticated, violent and fight back against competent forces, including the Border ...

Fifth, based on the difficulties and problems faced by competent forces, it is requested that relevant ministries and agencies take the initiative in advising and amending inappropriate legal documents related tosmuggling, trade fraud and counterfeiting to improve work efficiency in the future.

Customs newspaper will continue to update issues discussed at the meeting.