Ba Ria – Vung Tau Customs: Effective loss revenue prevention in the pandemic

Iron and steel imported through SP-PSA port (Ba Ria - Vung Tau).

Patrol, control associated with risk management

According to a report from Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department, from the beginning of the year until now, firms carrying out procedures at Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department have focused on importing iron and steel products as raw materials for production and importing investment goods to create fixed assets, importing goods for business operation, exploiting oil and gas and goods for Covid-19 pandemic prevention. To prevent trade fraud, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department has strengthened supervision of independently transported goods, goods temporarily imported and re-exported, temporarily exported and re-imported, transshipment goods, and goods deposited into bonded warehouses.

The department regularly guides, inspects and urges affiliated units to collect and process information on customs control operations, review and update the database system; implementing inspection and examination following the annual plan and internal inspection to prevent violations. The unit also strengthens coordination with authorities in inspection, supervision and control of goods and vehicles showing signs of violations under its functions and coordination regulations.

In the first six months of 2021, the Customs Enforcement Team - Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department has carried out nearly 140 patrols, monitoring and grasping the road situation at port areas under their management and other river and sea routes. The Customs Enforcement Team also worked with Cai Mep Port Customs Branch to carry out 35 physical inspections of consignments and cooperated with Phu My Port Customs Branch to conduct a physical inspection of goods on declarations of taking goods back for preservation which are exceeded the expiry date of three companies.

Regarding risk management, the unit continues collecting and updating information from the firm’s profile whose head office is located in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. Up to now, 424 firm profiles, 16 analytical criteria and three key firm profiles have been built.

Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department has sanctioned nearly 300 cases of administrative violations with total fines of VND 2 billion. In the post-clearance audit, the unit has issued 23 decisions sanctioning administrative violations with a total amount of VND 4.5 billion.

Most of the violations of firms are administrative violations, tax violations leading to a lack of a large amount of payable tax. Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department has verified, worked with firms, exchanged documents and sent to relevant authorities for conducting criminal procedure before issuing a sanctioning decision.

In addition, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department discovered a case of fraud in importing banned goods. The firm presented an independent transportation dossier, registered at Cai Mep Customs Department, declaring goods were new auto parts, brand new 100% including one package packed in a 40-feet container. Through information collection, comparing the dossiers with actual goods, Cai Mep Customs Branch suspected that the firm declared goods inaccurately. Therefore, the Customs branch coordinated with the Customs Enforcement Team and PC03 - Ba Ria - Vung Tau Provincial Police to conduct a physical inspection.

The results of the inspection certificate provided by Vinacontrol HCM City Inspection Co., Ltd concluded the goods are used auto parts, including 17 types of goods with a total of 592 units. Conducting price appraisals, the price appraisal authority determined at the time of March 2021, this shipment was worth VND 180 million. Currently, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department transferred the dossiers to the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province to issue a decision for sanctioning.

Strict control of import and export goods

According to Bui Sy Duc, Deputy Director of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department, facing with the complex situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country and abroad, some firms could take advantage of this situation to smuggle, make trade fraud, mixing of poor quality products in import and export shipments. The unit will strengthen the management of related goods, especially medical items, which are requirements. In addition, it is also necessary to organise a key fight against banned goods, goods affecting social order and security, counterfeit goods, poor quality goods and essential consumer goods.

To ensure these objectives, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department will strengthen the work of information collection, grasping the situation, patrolling and controlling in the seaport area, strictly controlling import and export goods, luggage of passengers on entry and exit. At the same time, continuing to monitor the supply of petroleum products temporarily imported and re-exported, supply necessities for ships on entry and exit, ships anchored in Cai Mep – Thi Vai area, collect information about the means of transport on entry, exit, transit and transshipment.

The unit also continues to strengthen inspection of goods that are drugs, precursors, goods temporarily imported and re-exported, control import and export goods before, during and after clearance; strengthen coordination and information sharing with competent forces like Police, Border Defence, Market Management, Coast Guard to fight smuggling and trade fraud.