Strictly handling Customs officers who engage in smuggling

	Prevent smuggling and trade fraud in Tet holiday
	Difficulty in sanction on smuggled cigarettes
	Import-export increases sharply in the end of year, General Department of Vietnam Customs requests to settle customs procedures quickly

An Giang Customs and Border Guard collaborate to patrol and control

From the beginning of 2017 to present day, An Giang Customs Department has detected and seized 89 cases of smuggling and illegal transport of goods across border gate, with total value nearly VND 12 billion, and criminally prosecuted 3 cases.

According to An Giang Customs Department, the smuggling and illegal transport of goods across border gates under its management has complicatedly taken place. Smugglers always change routes and places of gathering goods in border routes to avoid patrols and control of anti-smuggling forces. The hot smuggled goods are mainly cigarettes, Thai sugar, sometimes gold bars, and currencies across Vietnam – Cambodia border.

Customs officers in charge of anti-smuggling of An Giang Customs Department are few and must implement various specialized tasks, mainly make public patrols, are limited on professional qualifications on anti-smuggling control and fail to meet the requirements of tasks set out.

An Giang Customs Department has directed its subordinate-units to take appropriate measures to fight against and arrest smuggling cases based on the plan of the Department and each unit’s actual situation, and smuggler’s tricks in each area.

Considering responsibility of unit leaders having harassing Customs officer VCN- The General Department of Vietnam Customs frankly said that although the specialized inspection, internal inspection, public ...

Especially, subordinate - units need to strengthen internal coordination and enhance the active role of Customs Enforcement Team and Anti-drug Enforcement Team in monitoring situation, supporting , coordinating Border Gate Customs Branches in anti-smuggling and drugs, and absolutely prevent the hot smuggling areas in the Customs management area. When detecting smuggling cases in neighbouring areas, the Customs units must report to the 389 National Steering Committee at the same level and leaders of the Department for prompt supportive methods. The units must ensure that the violation dossiers from seizing to issuing decisions on handling must be in accordance with the provisions.

The Department also requested subordinate units to pay attention to internal situation of the units. If discovering Customs officers who collude, engage, cover up and ignore the smuggling activities, affecting the reputation of the Customs sector, the units must clarify and strictly handle those officers.