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Ha Tien border gate Customs Branch inspect imported and exported goods.

Smuggling dragged down effectively

Before the Lunar New Year, border routes and areas of Rach Go, Dam Chit, Cho Dinh and Nha Sap in Giang Thang district; border crossings at two sides of Ha Tien international border gate; areas in Duong Chua, Duong Xua, Da Dung mountain in My Duc ward, Ha Tien city continued to be hotspots for smuggling. On the coastal route from 313 and 314 milestones along Ta Lu - Mui Nai - Nui Den - Bai No - CuaPhao to To Chau wharf in Ha Tien city, smuggled goods were transported across the border. The smuggled goods were mainly tobacco, sugar, beverages, confectionery, scrap and consumer goods. The smuggling and illegal cross-border transportation of goods in key areas in Kien Giang remains a problem.

According to Kien Giang Customs Department, the seizures and volume of seized goods were not compatible with realitydue to increasingly sophisticated tactics. Smugglers used modified motorbikes andboats to transport goods many times a day, especially in the evenings or at night, and they were very aggressive and ready to fight back against officers when surrounded. Kien Giang Customs Department directed the Customs Enforcement Team and the Customs Branches at the border gates to take professional measures to strictly control areas under their management and carry out plans to prevent and fight smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeiting; proactively and flexibly strengthen cooperation and information exchange with other state agencies in terms of anti-smuggling and anti-trade fraud. During the Lunar New Year, customs units at border gates seized many cases of sugar and beverages worth tens of millions of dong.

In addition, the Border Guard force implemented control 24 hours a day at key areas of smuggling and seized many cases of illegal cross-bordertransportation of smuggled and banned goods. According, smugglingand transportation decreased. During the Lunar New Year, Kien Giang Border Guard seized more than 5,000 packages of smuggled cigarettes and 13 tonnes of waste and other infringing goods. Particularly, Kien Giang border guard advised people not to help smugglers and not to hide cases and launch the movement of the entire population to participate in crime denouncement, which also contributed to reducing smuggling activities in the border area. Other forces such as the Kien Giang Provincial Police seized more than 40,000 packages of contraband cigarettes; more than 200 kgs of Thai sugar and many other goods, including criminal prosecution of nine cases with 11 defendants, which have also effectively deterred people from transporting and trading smuggled goods. Market surveillance forces also detected and seized about VND300 million of infringing goods.

KienGiang Border Guard seized smuggled cigarettes.

More radical solutions needed

After the Lunar New Year is the dry season, so smuggling is expected to increase again on the Kien Giang border if strict measures are not taken, the remaining smuggled goods that have not been transported across the border will be transported by more sophisticated methods.

In order to implement the task of combat against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeiting in the province, the Steering Committee 389 of Kien Giang province has asked the departments, sectors and the Steering Committee 389 of districts, and cities to actively coordinate to implement key tasks in 2020; strengthen coordination among authorities and enhance the role and responsibility of border localities; continue to inspect and handle illegal warehouses in border gates and border areas; advise border residents not to participate in and help smugglers; continue to launch projects to break cross-border smugglings; organize patrols 24 hours a day.

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In addition, there is a need to have more radical solutions to effectively fight against smuggling and illegal cross-border transportation of goods in the long-term. The Steering Committee 389 of Kien Giang province has proposed effective policies for socio-economic development in the border areas, creating stable jobs for border citizens. Moreover, it requires solutions to advise, guide and educate people so that they will not help and join smuggling activities. Also, skill training for anti-smuggling forces; and supplement of personnel, fund and equipment for anti-smuggling forces are required.