Director of Steering Committee 389 requested to strictly handle cases of smuggling cigarettes

Customs force checked smuggled cigarettes. Photo: Quang Hùng

Considering the report of Ministry of Finance about the fight against smugged cigarettes from 2013 till now, according to the Vietnam Tobacco Association, the Deputy Prime Minister has agreed with the content in the report and suggestions of the Ministry of Finane about the handling smuggled foreign cigarettes from 2013 till now.

The Deputy Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Public Security, Ministry of National Defence, People’s Committee of the provincies and cities (especially key areas) to implement the suggestions of Permenant Agency of National Steering Committee.

The agencies need to direct competent forces to implement strictly the Directive No. 30/CT-TTg of Prime Minister dated September 30, 2014, on the fight against smuggled cigarettes and strictly handle cases of smuggled cigarettes.

Regarding the handling of confiscated smuggled cigarettes, the Deputy Prime Minister requested ministries, sectors and localities fully comply with the directives of Deputy Prime Minister in Document No. 237/TB-VPCP dated July 12, 2019 of the Government Office at the meeting about the implementation of Decision No. 20/2018/QD-TTg dated April 26, 2018 of the Prime Minister stipulating the implementation of destructing confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes which are counterfeit cigarettes, unqualified cigarettes and deploy pilot auction of confiscated smuggled cigarettes for export.