General Department of Customs holds a press conference on a "hot" issue of imported scraps

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Deputy Director of Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Customs) Nguyen Khanh Quang presided over and answered questions at the press conference. Photo: Q.H

At the press conference, many reporters from press agencies raised questions related to the responsibility of the State management agency for the occurrence of smuggling of scraps from abroad to Vietnam.

Answering the reporters’ questions, Deputy Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Customs) Nguyen Khanh Quang, said that the first responsibility belongs to the licensing unit, which is the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Environment Departments in provinces and cities.

Because, if there is an import license, enterprises are eligible for scrap imports to serve production and not to trade and do business.

"However, through a number of investigations and handling cases, Customs authorities have found that some enterprises that are granted import licenses, do not have production activity and even have no factories and machines for production," - Mr. Nguyen Khanh Quang emphasized.

In addition, the licensing is for imported shipments which are not eligible.

Regarding handling violations in the field of scrap imports, currently the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department has prosecuted 4 businesses; Hai Phong Customs Department prosecuted 2 enterprises and An Giang Customs Department prosecuted 7 offenders.

Concerning the status of scrap backlog at ports, Mr. Quang also added that the backlog of tens of thousands of containers caused congestion and occupied the warehouses at seaports, affecting the capacity of customs clearance by port operators and Customs authorities.

In order to handle this issue, the Government and the Prime Minister have paid special attention and given specific directions, in which the responsibilities of each ministry, sector and agency related to seaport exploitation are clearly stipulated.

The Ministry of Finance has made efforts to review Customs procedures for a total of tens of thousands of containers congested at ports. However, this task met many difficulties, because goods owners often do not appear.

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The causes of scrap backlog at seaports was due to competent forces strengthening control measures and enterprises refusing to receive goods, or for goods that are in law violations and so on.