Enhancing the rate of violation detection through container scanners

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AnalyzAnalysings on the container scanners at the Sai Gon Port Zone 1 Customs Department. Photo: T.H

Number of screened containers doubled

According to the report from the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, the Department is managing and using 5 containers of which 3 containers scanners is allocated to 3 seaport Customs Branches and 2 containers scanners is allocated to the Customs Branch of the Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

Statistics show that the number of containers of import and export goods carried out procedures at three seaport Customs Branches equipped with the container scanners was about 11,000 containers per day, of which number of containers through the Sai Gon Port Zone 1 Customs Branch was about 10,000 containers. After 2 year of implementing Decision No. 2760/QD-TCHQ on 22 September 2015 of the General Department of Customs stipulating the import-export goods inspection by container scanners, the number of containers inspected by the scanners nearly doubled. In 2015, the Branches screened more than 21,600 containers and the number increased nearly to 40,000 containers. The channel classification of Customs declarations applying the risk management was getting closer; the rate of physical inspection decreased markedly from 14.8% in 2014 to 5.91% in 2016; and the rate of violation detection through container scanners rose from 0.23% to 1.16%, the leader of Risk Management Division of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs noted.

Especially, the pre-screening and post-screening of Customs clearance for imported and exported goods reached some certain achievements and firstly achieved set targets such as: speeding up the Customs clearance; enhancing the inspection for goods and enterprises but not increasing the rate of channel classification, reducing the inspection rate for red channel; and creating conditions to evaluate the compliance of enterprises, assessing the effectiveness of the criteria for analysis set by the Risk Management Division; actively supporting anti- smuggling and anti- trade frauds, thus resulting in the deterrent effect and encouraging the improving the law compliance of enterprises.

However, the results from the screening were limited; the detection rate compared to the number of screened containers was still low. 30 violation containers were discovered in 2016, and 10 violations containers were discovered thorough the screening in the first four months of 2017.

At the Symposium, the leaders of the border Customs units equipped with container scanners analyzed the advantages and disadvantages in the deployment of the import-export cargo screening by container scanners. At the same time, proposing some contents related to the criteria selection for the channel classification for scanners; Information technology system; and Training and rotation for officers in charge of container scanners.

Representatives of some Departments under the General Department of Customs answered some questions of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, and realized recommendations of units on focusing on enhancing the efficiency of the container scanners.

Enhancing the rate of violation detection.

As the chair of the Symposium, the Deputy Director General Hoang Viet Cuong said that Customs has always paid attention to procedural modernization and reform. Especially, in the recent 3 years, following Government’s Resolution 19 and Resolution 35, the Customs further invested in equipment and machinery and deployed many drastic solutions to reduce the clearance time, facilitate trade and enhance the Customs inspection and control.

One of tools to implement was the scanner. From 2014, the whole Customs in general and the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department in particular had significant changes in the screening of goods through the scanners. For example, the implementation of Plan 85 detected hundreds of violation containers and many large-scale violation cases: imported ivory, khat leaves and guns ..., contributing to the fight against smuggling and trade frauds.

However, the implementation in some stages was not focused and centralized: criteria selection; officer qualification; coordination mechanisms and Procedures were not specific, resulting in low efficiency. Therefore, the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department organized the Symposium to improve the efficiency of the scanners in the Customs inspection and control. The aim was to implement resolutions, reform administrative procedures, reduce clearance time and improve competitiveness of enterprises.

In order to obtain a high efficiency with the criteria on reducing Customs clearance time and enhancing the anti- smuggling and anti-trade frauds, the Deputy Director General Hoang Viet Cuong directed the consultancy units under the General Department of Customs to specify regulations on risk examination rate for personal effects and specify the pre-screening, during screening and post screening of Customs clearance and the screening for inventories.

In the development of the process, the Customs Control and Supervision Department should detail the method and measures of implementation for executive civil servants to make it convenient. Criteria selection for screening is the most importance to decide the efficiency of screening. Currently, there are three levels, but the criteria level at the General Department of Customs is the most important.

In addition, human is also a decisive factor, officers in change of risk management and scanner operation should be qualified and the training should be attached special importance. The Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department will conduct quarterly training course, starting from quarter II / 2017.

Concerns about the traffic at the area of container scanners in Hai Phong The construction at Nguyen Binh Khiem – Dinh Vu intersection, an arterial route through the city’s seaports ...

After this symposium, the Department will issue documents on contents which should be revised to branches to recover shortcoming and review the current coordination regime ... for the most effective implementation.