2 smuggling cases used the same Customs code

On September 24, 2016, the Customs Enforcement Team - Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department issued Decision No.02/QD-KSHQ regarding import shipment under declaration 101046804460/A11 which was registered at Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch.

According to the owner of the shipment, the shipment is braid made by rubber for decorating handbags including 9 packages, weighing 348kg (215m roll); new 100%, origin from Malaysia. The declaration was classified to the Yellow channel (examine the dossier) by VNACCS/VCIS.

The importer of the shipment is Mr. Nguyen Tan Thanh (Code: 1401407972; address: An Hoa Hamlet, An Binh A Commune, Hong Ngu Town, Dong Thap Province. The exporter is YUAN WAI LEK TRADING (MALAYSIA). The test result revealed the real imported goods included 1,000 pieces, suspicious dry python leather (weighing 321kg). The value of the shipment was about 7 billion vnd. As per regulations, the category mentioned above when imported must be licensed under the CITES.

Notably, on the declaration of the smuggled shipment, Customs detected on the box of the Customs agent, the owner of the shipment to be F2375 Truong Cong Luan. Earlier, a perpetrator used this Customs Agent code to declare on declaration No.100987012710 for importing goods, but posed as the Vina Kraft Paper Limited Liability Company.

The Vina Kraft Paper Limited Liability Company is an invested enterprise from Thailand and Japan, which complies with the Customs Law. On Declaration No. 100987012710 dated August 10, 2016 it said that the imported goods were Kraft Visy Liner for printing, and classified to the Green channel. Through examining the imported profile, the Investment Customs Branch found in the box of the Customs agent was declared as F2375 Truong Cong Luan (meaning that this declaration was implemented by the Customs agent).

At the time of implementing Customs procedures, there was not enough evidence to identify exactly the Customs code, especially for the declaration in the Green channel. Thus, the shipments were cleared in the name of the Vina Kraft Paper Limited Liability Company and seized by the Police after being cleared.

According to Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, the perpetrator who carried out these activities was a staff of the company, but not staff of the company which effected the reputation of the enterprises.

Faced with this situation to prevent using the digital signature of the Customs Code, currently the Customs Enforcement Team (under Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department) issued a warning document to all sub-departments and proposed the Customs Control and Supervision Division consulting with the leader of HCMC Customs Department to propose the General Department of Customs retrieve the digital signature of F2375 Truong Cong Luan.

Digital signatures misused for smuggling

Customs warns enterprises, in the case of enterprises that use a Customs agent to process import/export procedures they need to provide the information of the Customs agent which they use so that Customs could support to identify the assessment of the Customs Agent. When Customs detects the Customs agent is not on the list of enterprises which the enterprises declare on the import and export declaration, Customs will timely inform the business in order to prevent the perpetrator taking advantage and protect the benefit of the enterprise.