La Lay Customs makes great effort to foster customs clearance

	More than 43 m3 of Dalbergia oliver and Pterocarpus macrocarpus illegally imported
	Smuggled precious wood shipment seized by Customs at La Lay Border Gate
	La Lay Customs prosecute smuggling case of valuable timber

Check point at La Lay International Border Gate is put into operation in October 2022.

Arranging officer to perform until 9p.m

From early 2023, import and export activities across La Lay Border Gate Customs Branch (Quang Tri Customs Department) have prospered.

At the end of April, the number of vehicles and passengers on exit and entry across La Lay International Border Gate increased by 198% and 394% to 36,855 vehicles and 68,750 passengers, respectively.

The branch processed 913 declarations, up 47.5% with total import and export turnover of US$ 71.09 million, up 145.43%. The quantity of goods cleared by the branch surged 523% to 571,729 tons compared with the same period in 2022.

In early April, the department added personnel to La Lay Customs Branch, including one deputy director and three officers, increasing the total number of officers to 26/28.

The leader of La Lay Customs Branch said that the branch effectively used information technology systems, 24/7 e-tax payment and administrative procedures on National Single Window, facilitated trade, removed obstacles and reduced customs clearance time.

The branch coordinated with enforcement agencies at the border gate to promptly and effectively implement the coordination of import and export activities to avoid congestion of goods and vehicles at the border gate.

In addition, the branch maintained the organization of forums for legal dissemination and instructing enterprises and removing problems for enterprises in the customs process.

“Not only complying with the time of closing and open time at the border gate (under the agreement in 2007 between the two Governments of Vietnam and Laos), the branch arranged officers to work until 9pm to create favorable conditions for businesses in customs clearance”, the leader said.

Speaking to Customs News, the import-export manager of Coal Vietnam Company Limited Luong Tai Duc said that the branch actively connected with the road management unit, the construction unit to propose and recommend infrastructure and traffic, and promptly make plans for new construction, upgrading, maintenance, and repairing to ensure the movement of goods.

To shorten the customs clearance time, the branch applied information technology to the management and supporting enterprises such as applying QR codes for declaration and receipt of manifest of imported goods; receiving and monitoring C/O deduction and automatically calculating taxes for imported coal consignments.

Proposing to upgrade infrastructure

Currently, although La Lay International Border Gate has been put into operation, the road connecting to the border gate is still incomplete. There is no storage yard, yard for loading and unloading of goods. The degradation of National Highway 14 and National Highway 15D causes difficulties for the business community and management agencies at the border gate.

In order to ensure customs clearance of goods, the Branch proposed Quang Tri Customs Department report to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the Ministry of Finance to ask the People's Committee of Quang Tri province to direct competent agencies to early handover the site for construction and put the checkpoint into operation. Complete the border gate infrastructure, construct a connection route from National Highway 15D to the border gate, and expand the connecting route from Landmark 635 to the border gate area for three lanes of vehicles to pass through, ensuring traffic safety and convenience in vehicle regulation.

Soon deploy the renovation and expansion of National Highway 15D, especially at the bends, to increase the clearance capacity across the area.

Soon survey and assess the licensing of loading and unloading yards for businesses, especially coal importers, and work with ministries and the Government Office on allowing La Lay border gate Customs Brach to clear overcrowded goods and bring them to the gathering place for loading and unloading at the border gate area which has been licensed by the People's Committee of Quang Tri province; direct relevant forces to strengthen control vehicles to ensure compliance with road traffic laws.