Hai Phong Customs seizes two tonnes of ivory and pagonlin scales originating from Africa

The irovy was seized by Customs Enforcement Unit. Photo provided by CTV

On December 23, representative of Customs Enforcement Unit said that according to the plan fighting against smuggling and trade fraud before, during and after Tet 2020 of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Hai Phong Customs Department and Customs Enforcement Unit, the unit grasped professional information to detect a suspect shipment which was packaged in three containers.

Three containers belonging to the bill of lading number 586281059 were shipped on MIA SCHULTE ship entering Quy Nhon port (Binh Dinh province) on November 27, 2019, after the shipment continued to be transferred to the VIP Greenport as the destination port (Hai Phong province) on November 30, 2019. The shipment was sent by Maersk Line company as the shipping agent from the port of Nigeria (Africa).

According to a declaration on the E-manifest system, when the ship enterred Vietnam, the consignor was Mercury Resources Ltd Company 37 Kofo Aba, Yomi Avenue, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria; the consignee was Pama Northern Trading Import Export, Company limited (Northern Pama Import and Export Trading Co., Ltd; located at Yen Khe Hamlet, Dai Yen Commune, Chuong My District, Hanoi).

The goods were 56 Pieces Doussie Wood (roughly translated as red wood).

On December 10, the Customs Enforcement Unit worked with Hai Phong port area 3 Customs Branch and the Economic Police Division (Hai Phong City Police Department) to inspect the shipment.

The inspection results showed that besides the goods of square timber, inside container number SUDU7477231 was concealed 330 kg of ivory and 1,700 kg of pangolin scales.

Then, the Customs Enforcement Unit worked with the Economic Police Division (Hai Phong City Police) to carry out preliminary verification at the headquarters of Northern Pama Import Export Trading Co., Ltd.

Notably, through verification, the force came to the address of Northern Pama Import Export Trading Co., Ltd which was located at Yen Khe Hamlet, Dai Yen Commune, Chuong My District, Hanoi City and got confirmation from representatives of the Commune Police that there was no Northern Pama Trading and Import-Export Co., Ltd. operating at Dai Yen commune.

Ta Hoang Thang - Director of the Company was not registered as residency in management areas.

After verifying Ta Hoang Thang's identity at Thuy Khue Ward Police, Tay Ho District, Hanoi City, they found he had a permanent residence in Tay Ho District, Hanoi City, but since 2016, he moved away from the address with unknown contact address.

Authorities determined the above shipment was owed by Northern Pama Import Export Trading Co., Ltd. However, the company did not operate at the business registration address and the company's director did not live in the registered area and did not have an address to contact.

To have a basis for considering and handling the shipment, the Customs Enforcement Unit coordinated with related parties to temporarily seize the entire shipment.

Currently, the case is being investigated by the Customs Enforcement Unit in coordination with the Economic Police Division (Hai Phong City Police).