Binh Phuoc Customs prosecuted many cashew smuggling cases

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Customs officers use sniffer dogs to control immigration vehicles at Hoa Lu border gate (Binh Phuoc) Photo: Chau Long

Prosecution of 2 more cashew smuggling cases

After prosecuting 6 cases related to cashew smuggling in 2022 and 2023, Binh Phuoc Customs Department continued to detect and prosecute 2 cashew smuggling cases.

Specifically, through checking the use and inventory of raw materials, supplies, machinery, equipment and exported goods at the headquarters of Gia Han Import-Export Company Limited (Phu Thinh Ward, Long Binh Town, Binh Phuoc), Customs Department discovered that there was a difference between the actual inventory and the inventory according to the customs declaration of 1,673.86 tons of cashew nuts.

Results of verification and information collection showed that Gia Han Company changed the purpose of use to domestic consumption of the above-mentioned difference in cashew nuts inventory without carrying out customs procedures according to regulations, no tax declaration and no food safety inspection certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Of which, the company sold directly domestically 1,642.62 tons, calculated at the average unit price, these cashew nuts have a total value of nearly 39.62 billion VND, in addition, sold 31.24 tons of spoiled cashew nuts with cashew shells.

Considering that the case has signs of smuggling as prescribed in Clause 4, Article 188 of 2015 Criminal Code (amended and supplemented in 2017), on September 6, 2023, Binh Phuoc Customs Department issued a decision to prosecute a criminal case and transfer the case to the Police Investigation Agency - Binh Phuoc Provincial Police for further investigation according to its authority.

Similarly, in June 2023, Chon Thanh Customs Branch coordinated with the Customs Control Team (Binh Phuoc Customs Department) to inspect the use and inventory of raw materials, machinery, equipment and export goods at the headquarters of Tuan Trang Import-Export Co., Ltd. (Phuoc Binh ward, Phuoc Long town, Binh Phuoc) also discovered a difference in actual inventory of nearly 6.5 million tons of raw cashew nuts compared to customs declaration, worth 217.83 billion VND, corresponding to an import tax amount of 10.89 billion VND. Tuan Trang Company admitted that it sold all of these raw materials to households and individuals producing and doing business in Binh Phuoc province but did not record it on records or accounting books.

On that basis, Binh Phuoc Customs Department determined that Tuan Trang Company arbitrarily changed the purpose of use to transfer domestic consumption of the quantity of cashew nuts in inventory according to the above customs declaration without doing Customs procedures according to regulations, no tax declaration and payment and no food safety inspection certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. According to the results of inspection, verification and documents in the file, Tuan Trang Company's case has enough grounds to prosecute a criminal case for smuggling as prescribed in Clause 4, Article 188 of the 2015 Criminal Code. Therefore, on November 24, 2023, Binh Phuoc Province Customs Department issued a decision to prosecute a criminal case and transfer the file to the Police Investigation Agency - Binh Phuoc Provincial Police for continuing investigation according to authority.

Deploy solutions synchronously and effectively

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Lich, Director of Binh Phuoc Customs Department, in recent times, Binh Phuoc Customs Department has regularly directed units to strengthen the synchronous implementation of tasks and solutions to control and combat smuggling and trade fraud in the area to ensure that import and export activities are carried out in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese law and international treaties to which Vietnam is a member, and at the same time create favorable conditions to promote activities and business of enterprises in the area. The unit regularly collects information and grasps the operating situation of businesses, ensuring effective control and combating smuggling and trade fraud; Deploy and fully implement professional documents related to the field of anti-smuggling and trade fraud control of the General Department of Customs and relevant levels on the prevention of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods, chemicals and drugs across borders and regulations, plans have been signed. Strengthen coordination with competent forces in the area to handle and arrest smuggling activities and illegal transportation of goods across borders.

In addition to the two prosecutions related to cashew nuts mentioned above, in 2023, Binh Phuoc Customs Department will also collect information on 6 enterprises operating in the field of table and chair production which are suspected of violations on origin fraud and illegal transshipment, and at the same time capture information to control, prevent and handle smuggling and illegal transportation of pigs and pig products across borders; Develop plans and organize the investigation and verification of signs of violations by enterprises with export activities of peeled boards and veneers, etc.

In 2024, Binh Phuoc Customs Department will continue to deploy and implement professional documents related to the field of anti-smuggling and trade fraud control of the Ministry of Finance, General Department of Customs, Provincial People's Committee, The 389 Provincial Steering Committee and regulations and plans have been signed to under and directly under units for unified implementation; Promulgate the Customs control plan for 2024; Implement key plans and work programs in 2024 according to the plan of the General Department of Customs and Binh Phuoc Customs Department.

According to Mr. Pham Van Chung, Head of the Control Team, Binh Phuoc Customs Department, the unit will continue to implement plans to investigate and verify violations that have been developed in 2023 and have not yet ended; Develop and organize the implementation of plans to investigate and verify cases showing signs of customs law violations arising in 2024.