Huu Nghi Customs: Need to equip scanning machine for goods sent by express delivery services registering independent transportation

According to Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch, numerous challenges and obstacles have arisen during the supervision of imported goods sent by express delivery services under the independent declaration of transportation.

Specifically, the Express Cargo and Postal Team, under the management of Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch, is currently operating a scanning machine invested by Huu Nghi Xuan Cuong Joint Stock Company to screen MIC shipments. Utilizing this machine for screening imported goods sent by express delivery services registering independent transportation would significantly enhance the effectiveness of supervision.

However, Huu Nghi Customs has noted that the aforementioned scanning machine is not a public asset, and there is currently no guideline for screening goods sent by express delivery services registering independent transportation using scanning machine invested by an enterprise. Moreover, utilizing container scanning machine as per the Procedure attached to Decision 3272/QĐ-TCHQ of the General Department of Vietnam Customs to screen this type of goods is not feasible due to the nature of the goods and the scanning method.

The control of goods sent by express delivery services at Huu Nghi Xuan Cuong company. Photo: H.Nụ

Furthermore, when both MIC shipments and express cargo shipment occur simultaneously, priority must be given to screening MIC shipments (as screening MIC shipments is a mandatory requirement). Screening each MIC shipment requires at least two hours.

According to the actual situation at the branch, the capacity of this scanning machine is only sufficient to serve the screening of MIC shipments. Therefore, it is difficult to carry out the screening express cargo shipment or it must be done later, causing a long wait, affecting the completion time of procedures for the shipments. This will have a significant impact on the operations of enterprises providing express cargo sent by independent transportation due to the nature of this type of service, which requires very fast transportation time, Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch added.

Moreover, to date, among the border gates in Lang Son province, only Huu Nghi International Border Gate has an scanning machine invested by an enterprise. Therefore, if screening is only carried out at Huu Nghi International Border Gate, it will create inconsistency in management methods among customs branches under the Lang Son Customs Department, easily leading to negative reactions from the business community.

In particular, according to Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch, the unit is currently managing goods sent by express delivery service under independent transportation and organizing direct supervision of the transshipment process. However, direct visual inspection will be very difficult to detect violations because express cargo are typically packaged in pineapple sacks or cardboard boxes, and these sacks/boxes contain many small packages wrapped in plastic bags or small cardboard boxes. Customs authorities cannot open the above packaging to inspect the goods due to violations of the goods supervision principle.

Therefore, Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch proposes that competent authorities equip scanning machines along with procedures for screening express cargo to improve the effectiveness of state management of customs.

Regarding the identification of suspicions through the receipt and inspection of documents, it is allowed to continue checking and analyzing the declaration content through HYS files attached to declaration of goods sent by express delivery services to transfer information to customs units where the goods are transported for reference and clarification.

The Branch will continue to strengthen direct supervision of the transshipment process from Chinese means of transport to Vietnamese means of transport. In case of suspicion, information will be transferred to customs units where the goods are transported for reference and clarification.