Suspending temporary imports for re-export, bonded-warehouse for foreign cigarettes and alcohol

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Customs marine enforcement fleet 1 under the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Customs) inspected goods in the ship to ship transfer of 50,330 packs of cigarettes in April 2019. Photo provided by Customs marine enforcement fleet 1

According to a report from the People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province, authorities in the province have seized a large volume of cigarettes (555 non-Vietnamese origin, ESSE) and foreign whiskey.

Cigarettes and alcohol are smuggled in via both road and sea routes. However, through investigation, verification and handling of violations, there have not been sufficient grounds to prove the origin of the above goods from activities of temporary imports for re-exports and bonded warehouses to illegally access the domestic market. The volume of foreign cigarettes and alcohol products accounted for a very small proportion of the total volume of temporary imports for re-exports and bonded warehouses in the province.

Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee has proposed the Ministry of Industry and Trade consider and suspend temporary imports for re-exports and bonded warehouses for cigarette brand 555 non-Vietnamese origin, ESSE and foreign whiskey in Quang Ninh province to strengthen the management, prevention and combat against smuggling, trade fraud and fake goods.

After receiving the proposal of the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province, the Ministry of Industry and Trade sent a dispatch to the Ministries of Finance, Public Security, National Defence and the Standing Office of the 389 National Steering Committee to request their comments on the proposal.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Finance, the Standing Office of the 389 National Steering Committee approved the proposal of the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province.

For synchronisation and management, the Ministry of Finance will report to the Prime Minister on a proposal to suspend the operation of bonded warehouses for the above goods.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, it is necessary to consider carefully because it cannot solve the root of the problem, when suspending in Quang Ninh, offenders will move their activities to other border provinces. The suspension is decided by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, however, before issuing a decision, it is necessary to assess the overall and results of temporary imports for re-exports and bonded warehouses for the above goods in the localities which have activities of temporary imports for re-exports, bonded warehouses and fighting against violations and crimes in this field of forces.

Basing on the law, comments of ministries, sectors, international commitments of Vietnam and international business practices, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed the Prime Minister assign the Ministry of Industry and Trade to assume prime responsibility and coordinate with other ministries and sectors to formulate a document regulating the suspension of allowing temporarily imported goods for re-export and transited goods to be temporarily imported into or re-exported out of Vietnam through customs checkpoints which are not international border gates and main export border gates. This provision would be applied after a suitable transition period for all goods across all borders.

Quang Ninh Customs strictly contol temporary import and re-export cigarettes

The Ministry of Industry and Trade also proposed the Prime Minister assign the Ministry of Finance to report to the Prime Minister on the suspension of bonded warehouses at the proposal of the People's Committee of Quang Ninh.