An Giang Customs combats smuggling during flood season

Suspect transporting 1.2 kg gold across border was arrested by Khanh Binh Customs on August, 2024. Photo: Khanh Binh Customs

Gold and currency smuggling is still hot

According to An Giang Customs Department, although the smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border since the beginning of the year has been strictly controlled by the department, some suspects have abused the visiting relatives and traveling to transport goods across the border to commit violations, which have been promptly detected and stopped by the Customs.

Recently, on August 9, the Investigation Police Department of An Giang Province Police issued a Decision to prosecute a criminal case of “Illegal transportation of goods across the border” at Khanh Binh Border Gate (An Giang). That was the case of illegal transportation of 1.2 kg of gold, which was discovered by Khanh Binh Border Gate Customs Branch and transferred to An Giang Provincial Police for investigation and prosecution.

According to the Head of Khanh Binh Border Gate Customs Branch, Ha Van Trong, the subject transporting the above gold was Tang Hour, born in 1982, living in Phnom Penh city, Cambodia, driving a truck carrying goods regularly through the border gate. The subject took advantage of the traffic flow to deliberately carry smuggled goods through the border gate, avoiding the control of the Customs agency.

Earlier, in early July, Khanh Binh Border Gate Customs Branch discovered some suspects illegally transporting about VND280 million, US$830 and 49,000 riel across the border gate. The Branch has prosecuted a criminal case of “illegal transportation of currency across the border” and transferred the case to the police. On June 28, the department coordinated with the Drug Crime Prevention and Control Task Force, the Border Guard of An Giang Province and the Border Guard Station of Long Binh Border Gate to seize over 1.6 kg of drugs...

According to Manager Ha Van Trong, in order to control vehicles moving across the border gate, and prevent smuggling and trade fraud, the branch has deployed barcode scanning for vehicles that regularly cross the border to deliver goods. Most of the road vehicles have been fully scanned for barcodes, with about 200 vehicles as Cambodian trucks moving across the border gate each day to deliver goods at warehouses, yards, and some vehicles as other cars of Cambodian forces moving across the border gate for working.

The river border gate has also implemented barcode pasting on over 100 barges and wooden boats that regularly register for customs procedures, with an average of 15 to 20 vehicles scanned for barcodes every day.

Developing anti-smuggling plans

According to the Steering Committee 389 of An Giang province, taking advantage of the flood season, criminals will gather smuggled goods near the border and use vehicles to transport smuggled and banned goods from Cambodia to Vietnam. Notably, drug-related crimes on An Giang Border Gate have also become hot again.

At the Conference on drug prevention on the Southwest border last weekend, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien, the Investigation Police Department on Drug-related Crimes (Ministry of Public Security), said that drugs were mainly transported from Cambodia across the Southwest border to Tay Ninh, Long An and Dong Thap provinces, but now smugglers have shifted to Binh Phuoc and An Giang provinces.

Mr. Ha Van Trong said taking advantage of flood season, taking advantage of the flood season, smugglers often take advantage of the night to illegally transport prohibited and contraband goods across the border. Responding to the situation, to prevent effectively violations, the Customs focuses on patrolling and strictly controlling the area; implements solutions to inspect and screen luggage, import-export goods and vehicles; and coordinates with competent forces to strengthen patrolling and controlling to promptly detect and prevent smuggling and illegal transportation of goods and prohibited goods across the border.

At the conference to deploy tasks for the last six months of the year of the Steering Committee 389 of An Giang province, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang province Le Van Phuoc requested departments, branches and localities to cooperate and drastically and effectively perform tasks and solutions to combat crime; fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the new situation. Provide effective solutions and strive to complete assigned tasks well; follow the directions of the Government, the National Steering Committee 389 and the province.

Notably, the Vice Chairman required the units to identify this as an important, regular and continuous political task of all levels and sectors, strictly handle violation, and no “forbidden areas” in this work, proactively prevent and combat comprehensive negativity right in the enforcement authorities performing public duties; strictly handle offenders.

An Giang Customs Department has developed and implemented a plan to combat smuggling and trade fraud during the flood season with many specific solutions. Notably, the department has closely followed, correctly and flexibly apply customs control measures; directed subordinate units to strengthen coordination in patrolling, controlling and exchanging information with enforcement authorities; maintained participation in the activities of interdisciplinary working groups in areas, thereby, contributing to reducing and controlling the smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border.

An Giang Customs Department has disseminated information to people in the border gate area about the harmful effects of drugs and violations related to drug trafficking, contributing to raising legal awareness on the prevention and combat of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border for border residents in An Giang province.