Implementation of CITES in the field of customs - Many difficulties need to be solved

VCN - Since Vietnam joined the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1994, wildlife protection has been seen as a central task of the Customs sector. In recent years, Vietnam Customs has helped detect hundreds of violations, including many large cases.
Da Nang Customs Department has coordinated with authorities to discover more than 138kg of animal horns suspected to be rhino horns, more than 3.1 tons of animal bones suspected to be bones of animals in the List of Species of Plants and Animals protected by CITES Annexes.
Da Nang Customs Department has coordinated with authorities to discover more than 138kg of animal horns suspected to be rhino horns, more than 3.1 tons of animal bones suspected to be bones of animals in the List of Species of Plants and Animals protected by CITES Annexes.

Key sea and air route

According to local customs departments, most of the large-scale smuggling of rare and precious animals and plants from 2017 to 2020 was carried out at sea and air border gates. The number of smuggling cases by sea accounted for about 50% of typical smuggling cases of wild animals and plants in 2017 - 2020.

Most smugglers choose the sea route because of the convenience in transporting large quantities. Therefore, many seaports of Vietnam have been put on high alert for smuggling ivory and pangolin scales, of which three ports are classified as high risk are Hai Phong port area, Da Nang port and Cat Lai port (HCM City). The countries of origin are usually African. Goods are usually transited through seaports in Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore or Hong Kong (China). The destination of wildlife products is usually Cambodia, China, Malaysia or Vietnam.

For the air route, most of the cases discovered were serious, with most cases illegal transportation of ivory and rhino horn. The subjects mainly traded in ivory and rhino horn in African countries, then transported by air to Noi Bai or Tan Son Nhat international airports for illegal trading and transporting to neighbouring countries like China. To avoid the Customs force, subjects often hide goods, apply garlic on products, divide them into small pieces or camouflage in suitcases. Then, they work with people performing duties in the airport to get the goods out.

To combat illegal wildlife trade and transportation, over the years, the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) has worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to effectively deploy the National Single Window in issuance of CITES permits and at the same time coordinating between Customs forces at all levels and competent forces to exchange information, patrol, control, struggle, detect and handle gangs and groups involved in the illegal trade of wild animals and plants.

Vietnam Customs has used information and data from local governments, from the database system of the sector, competent forces and organisations in Vietnam and abroad, from the information system, to denounce crimes and from other public and secret sources to improve the effectiveness of forecasting and warning, early detection of suspicions, identification of key points, and destroy many large cases.

Implementation of CITES in the field of customs - Many difficulties need to be solved

Many difficulties need to be solved

Despite the achievements, the fight against the trade of wild animals and plants is facing many difficulties.

Firstly, the Customs Law lacks enough regulations and sanctions to prevent violations. While the Customs sector tackled many cases of illegal transportation of wild animals and plants, Decree 157/2013/ND-CP stipulates administrative sanctions on forest management, forest development, and forest protection and forest product management only regulate sanctioning competence of the Police and Border Defence forces, not the Customs force.

Second, assessment is expensive and sometimes difficult because in some cases the exhibits are small in quantity and not enough to use as specimens. The assessment of exhibits is mandatory but requires judicial expertise. The assessment is often slow and expensive due to the provisions of the law on judicial expertise.There is no agency designated as a CITES scientific agency to assess specimens suspected to be of wild animal origin.

Thirdly, difficulties in handling evidence that of wild, endangered, precious and rare animals. There is no document stipulating that a specialised management agency has the authority to handle wildlife exhibits, so it is very difficult to hand over the evidence. For exhibits that are dead animals, animal products (skins, body parts, etc.), local customs units do not have frozen storage for preservation, so it is very difficult to manage and storing this product for a long time will cause damage and pollution.

Fourthly, it is difficult to determine the value of exhibits of violation, because endangered, precious and rare species of animals are banned (group IB) from circulating on the market, so there is no market price. Therefore, the valuation of exhibits of violation as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 60 of the Law on Handling of Administrative Violations faces difficulties when there is no basis for determining value.

Besides solving the problems mentioned above, in the process of implementation, the Customs force needs more active coordination from other competent forces such as the Police, Border Defence force, etc. from the information exchange and coordination, training, handling and seizure.

At the same time, strengthen the expansion of international cooperation for the fight, prevention and fight against smuggling and illegal transport of goods across border; focusing on collecting domestic and international information on wildlife and smuggling tricks to analyse, forecast, and ensure the prevention, containment, investigation and verification are achieved highly effective.

By Hoàng Hà/Thanh Thuy

Related News

Over half a ton of firecrackers intercepted at Cha Lo border gate

Over half a ton of firecrackers intercepted at Cha Lo border gate

VCN - Quang Binh Customs recently coordinated an inspection and discovered that a tractor-trailer truck entering Vietnam from Laos was hiding 556.3 kg of firecrackers.
Customs sector

Customs sector's budget revenue in September continues to decline

VCN - In September 2024, state revenue from import-export activities reached VND 31,126 billion, down 12.4% compared to August 2024.
Noi Bai Customs consecutive detection of 2 cases of foreigners hiding metals suspected to be gold

Noi Bai Customs consecutive detection of 2 cases of foreigners hiding metals suspected to be gold

VCN - In just one day, the Noi Bai International Airport Customs Branch (Hanoi Customs Department) has consecutively detected 2 cases of foreign visitors hiding gold bars on their bodies, with a total weight of 3kg for each case.
Customs sector has collected VND 300 trillion to state budget in 9 months

Customs sector has collected VND 300 trillion to state budget in 9 months

VCN - By the end of September, the entire Customs sector collected VND 306,312 billion in budget revenue, according to information from the General Department of Vietnam Customs on October 3.

Latest News

Binh Dinh Customs facilitate enterprise exporting wood

Binh Dinh Customs facilitate enterprise exporting wood

VCN - More than 100 enterprises carrying out procedures for exporting wood through Quy Nhon port have been supported by Binh Dinh Customs Department to facilitate. This has been recognized and highly appreciated by enterprises.
Customs sector proactively manages cross-border e-commerce

Customs sector proactively manages cross-border e-commerce

VCN - E-commerce is growing strongly, but poses many challenges, especially the control of imported and exported goods across borders.
Solutions for developing customs broker agents in the new context

Solutions for developing customs broker agents in the new context

VCN - Customs broker agents (CBA) are performing well as a bridge between the Customs authority and enterprises, however, many problems still arise during their operations.
Key takeaways from supporting business compliance

Key takeaways from supporting business compliance

VCN - Some local customs units have closely coordinated with warehouse and port businesses to notify member businesses to support earlier delivery and faster clearance of goods.

More News

Ha Nam Ninh Customs accompanies typical enterprises of Ha Nam, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh provinces

Ha Nam Ninh Customs accompanies typical enterprises of Ha Nam, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh provinces

VCN - On the occasion of Vietnam Entrepreneurs Day, on October 9, in Ninh Binh City, Ha Nam Ninh Customs Department held a conference to meet, congratulate and honor typical entrepreneurs and enterprises representing nearly 1,000 enterprises regularly carrying out customs procedures in the three provinces of Ninh Binh, Ha Nam and Nam Dinh.
Steering Team for developing technical processes established at Long Thanh International Airport

Steering Team for developing technical processes established at Long Thanh International Airport

VCN - The General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) has just issued a Decision to establish a Steering Team for developing technical processes at Long Thanh International Airport, headed by Deputy Director General Au Anh Tuan.
Customs supports compliant businesses to improve investment environment

Customs supports compliant businesses to improve investment environment

VCN - When participating in the Pilot Program to support and encourage enterprises to voluntarily comply with Customs law, enterprises will become more professional and proactive, thereby enhancing their image and position, expanding partners, markets and making production and business activities more favorable.
Businesses reduce costs by complying with customs laws

Businesses reduce costs by complying with customs laws

VCN - Customs authorities assess enterprises with good compliance levels, thereby reducing the implementation work of Customs authorities and devoting more resources to manage enterprises that are assessed as having poor compliance or not complying with the law.
Design concept of Customs headquarters at Long Thanh airport

Design concept of Customs headquarters at Long Thanh airport

VCN - The design concept of the Customs headquarters at Long Thanh International Airport evokes the image of an airplane associated with the control characteristics of the Customs.
Enterprises should proactively comply with customs laws

Enterprises should proactively comply with customs laws

VCN - At the online talk show with the topic "Enterprises voluntarily comply with customs laws: Perspectives from both sides", Mr. Duong Quoc Phi, Head of Import-Export Division of Vietnam Precision Industrial No. 1 Co., Ltd, said that to comply with customs laws, enterprises themselves must be proactive in complying with the law, which will bring benefits to them.
Maximum effort for Customs headquarters project at Long Thanh airport

Maximum effort for Customs headquarters project at Long Thanh airport

VCN - The fact that Long Thanh International Airport project is accelerating its construction progress requires the implementation of the customs headquarters project here to be implemented more quickly to catch up with the airport's operational progress in early 2026. The General Department of Customs and its departments and bureaus are urgently implementing work contents to ensure the project to be completed in time with the airport's progress.
Mong Cai Customs achieve VND1,756 billion in revenue collection

Mong Cai Customs achieve VND1,756 billion in revenue collection

VCN - As of September 24, 2024, Mong Cai Border Gate Customs Branch collected VND 1,756 billion in revenue, an increase of 48% over the same period in 2023, exceeding nearly 11% of the target assigned by Quang Ninh Customs Department.
Thanh Hoa Customs cooperates effectively with businesses

Thanh Hoa Customs cooperates effectively with businesses

VCN – By effectively implementing trade facilitation solutions, only in the first eight months of 2024, Thanh Hoa Customs Department has exceeded the revenue target for 2024. The positive achievement results from the cooperation between the Customs and businesses for smooth customs clearance and procedures.
Read More

Your care

Latest Most read
Binh Dinh Customs facilitate enterprise exporting wood

Binh Dinh Customs facilitate enterprise exporting wood

More than 100 enterprises carrying out procedures for exporting wood through Quy Nhon port have been supported by Binh Dinh Customs Department to facilitate
Customs sector proactively manages cross-border e-commerce

Customs sector proactively manages cross-border e-commerce

VCN - Along with that, domestic consumers also have access to more diverse and abundant products from foreign markets.
Customs sector

Customs sector's budget revenue in September continues to decline

In September 2024, state budget revenue from import-export activities reached VND 31,126 billion, down 12.4% compared to August 2024.
Solutions for developing customs broker agents in the new context

Solutions for developing customs broker agents in the new context

Customs broker agents (CBA) are performing well as a bridge between the Customs authority and enterprises, however, many problems still arise during their operations.
Key takeaways from supporting business compliance

Key takeaways from supporting business compliance

Some local customs units have closely coordinated with warehouse and port businesses to notify member businesses to support earlier delivery and faster clearance of goods.
Mobile Version