No to increased smuggling in Tet holiday

	Prevent smuggling and trade fraud in Tet holiday
	Tax officers must ensure the work progresses in Tet holiday
	Tax officers ensure work progress in the Tet holidays

Mr. Dam Thanh The, Director of Standing Office of National Steering Committee 389

How do you assess the result on fighting against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in 2017, sir?

In 2017, under the instruction of National Steering Committee 389, since the beginning of the year, the Standing Office consulted and urged the Standing Units of the Steering Committee 389 of ministries and sectors to develop plans on fighting against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods. As of the end of December, ministries, sectors and localities have strictly deployed the plan, contributing to bringing the result of fighting against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods to achieve the targets.

Regarding the number of violations, until the end of October 2017, the competent forces around the country detected over 200,000 violation cases, which exceeded the target in 2016. Of which, the smuggling in border routes was sharply restricted and decreased, especially in the northern border area.

The Standing Office regularly monitors the situation through working sessions with key provinces in the northern border areas. In the beginning of the year, the smuggling and trade fraud across border gates have taken place. Therefore, the Standing Office coordinated with the General Department of Vietnam Customs to develop Plan No. 243/KH-VPTT, dated 28 th June 2017, and collaborated with competent agencies of provinces such as Lang Son, Quang Ninh, and Lao Cai to strengthen monitoring the situation by identifying targeting and coordinating for combating smuggling.

After over 4 months of implementation, many targets set out in the plan were achieved including; propaganda and urging people not to engage in smuggling, handling objects illegally and trading and transporting goods through prevented tracks and trails. Especially, heightening responsibility of organizations and individuals in this work, for which it is the responsibility of the Border Guard and the Customs. Restoring order in trading goods of organizations and individuals in border gates and increasing revenue for State budget.

In the last months of the year, the demand for goods consumption will increase again, including the banned firecracker. What is the plan of the National Steering Committee 389 on fighting against smuggling for key commodities, sir?

Currently, the Standing office has advised the Head of National Steering Committee 389 to issue the peak plan on fighting against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods before, during, and after the Lunar New Year 2018. The Standing Office regularly monitors the situation on trading and transporting goods via tracks and trails in border gates, including firecrackers and goods affecting the health of consumers, and to consult in a timely fashion for the Standing Office of National Steering Committee 389 to promptly instruct competent units for prevention and combating.

The Standing Office has received information from ministries, sectors and localities that the illegal trading and transporting of firecrackers still takes place in a sophisticated manner. The firecracker is stipulated as banned goods, but smugglers take advantage of policies to illegally transport and trade fireworks. The policy settlements are still not unified. Currently, the Standing office is summarizing and reporting to the National Steering Committee 389 for the instruction of handling, preventing and combating smuggling, especially in Tet holiday.

Tax officers ensure work progress in the Tet holidays VCN- The Director General of Taxation has issued a document to require the Tax officers must strictly ...

What are solutions that the National Steering Committee 389 are carrying out to prevent the complicated smuggling of petroleum products, sir?

Identifying harmful effects with the smuggling of petroleum products, the Standing office advised Deputy Standing Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh - Head of National Steering Committee 389 to issue Plan 401.

The ministries, sectors and localities have strictly deployed the plan. The competent forces in the country have detected many smuggling cases of petroleum products. For example, the Marine Police discovered and arrested 2 ships, and seized all the petroleum products which were illegally transported from foreign countries to Vietnam, and this contributed over VND 100 billion to the State budget.

Identifying the trade fraud in domestic business of petroleum products, the National Steering Committee has assigned the Ministry of Finance to instruct the General Department of Taxation to guide localities stamping in petrol stations to make accurate measurements and check quality. The tax revenue collected from petroleum products business in the localities sharply increased compared to the previous time of stamping.

In addition, the competent forces strengthened the inspection and identification of individuals and organizations trading low quality petroleum products. Especially in Nghe An province, where the competent forces arrested those who mixed solvents to reduce the quality of petroleum products, which greatly affects consumers.

The Head of National Steering Committee 389 continuously directs ministries, sectors and localities to promote supervision and strictly handle violations to ensure the interest of consumers.

Thank you, sir!