Customs inspect 60 containers of smuggled woods

On August 19, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Unit (Unit 3) - Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department - General Department of Vietnam Customs coordinated with HCM City Customs Department, Dong Nai Customs Department to inspect 60 containers suspected of being senegal rosewood imported into Vietnam via Cat Lai port in HCM City.

Initial search results showed that these wooden containers were preliminarily processed and cut into bars with a total volume of more than 1,000 m3. The value of the shipment was estimated at more than VND20 billion.

According to the first indication of the professional authority, it was likely that this was senegal rosewood (Pterocarpus Erinaceus). This type of wood is listed in Appendix II in "List of wild fauna and flora species specified in the annexes to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)” issued together with Circular No. 04/2017/TT-BNNPTNT dated February 24, 2017 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Notification No. 296/TB-CTVN-HTQT dated November 27, 2019 of the Vietnam CITES management agency - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (awaiting the conclusion of the inspection agency).

All wood has been moved from Cat Lai port - Ho Chi Minh City to Customs management area of Long Binh ICD port to search, store, and preserve in a warehouse for the next processing result. The authorities are strengthening their forces to speed up the search for all 60 containers of this fine wood.

Some pictures of the shipment inspection:

Containers containing illegal timber were brought to ICD Dong Nai for searching

Each container contained hundreds of cubic meters of wood

All wood has been cut

Those wood were suspected of being senegal rosewood.