Smuggling noticeable at An Giang Border Gate due to increased differential pricing

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Smuggled cigarettes seized by An Giang Market Surveillance Force in April, 2020.

According to Steering Committee 389 of An Giang province, in April, the smuggling and illicit transportation of goods across the border gate still takesplace. However, the scale and operation level has decreased significantly. Most arrests and seizures are in small quantity.

The decline in the scale is due to the fact that the competent forces and the locals are strictly controlling people and vehicles across the border gate to prevent Covid-19 infection, soviolations have sharply decreased. However, the transportation of cigarettes in small amounts still occursdue to high demand for consumption and the increasing differential pricing, so smugglers take advantage of every opportunity to transport goods across the border.

According to Steering Committee 389 of An Giang province, the current differential price of cigarettes is from 500 to 1,000 VND per pack and increases gradually when cigarettes are transported inland. Specifically, in Cambodia, Hero and Jet cigarette prices are 13,500 VND per pack and 16,600 VND per pack, when transported to Chau Doc (An Giang) are 14,000 VND and 17,000 VND per pack; the price increased to VND 15,200 and VND 17,800 per pack when transported to Long Xuyen.

The smuggling of medical masks and equipment to prevent and combat Covid-19 has not occurredin the province.

In the first fourmonths of 2020, the province's anti-smuggling forces discovered nearly 700 cases of violations, with a value of infringing goods of more thanVND 19 billion. Six cases have been criminally prosecuted.