Potential risk of smuggling in Quang Ninh border

	Quang Ninh Customs launch time measurement of cargo clearance and release for the first time in 2024
	Quang Ninh Customs strives to exceed budget revenue targets
	Quang Ninh Customs considers businesses as partners for cooperation and development

Customs Enforcement Team of Quang Ninh Customs Department inspects infringing goods. Photo: Q.H

Combating customs offences under action plan

According to the Steering Committee 389 of Quang Ninh, although enforcement forces have closely controlled goods imported and exported across border gates and customs clearance routes, due to the increased flow of immigration passengers, some smugglers have abused this situation to illegally transport foreign currency and Vietnamese currency when entering and exiting the country and fail to declare to the Customs.

In trails and border crossings, illegal transportation of poultry and poultry products still have seen potential complicated factors. Recently, enforcement forces have coordinated and arrested some cases of illegal transportation of cigarettes and firecrackers.

In the first half of 2024, Quang Ninh Customs Department has advised the province to effectively implement many plans to fight against smuggling and trade fraud for each field and item such as e-commerce; coal, petroleum products; pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, supplemental foods; cigarettes, electronic cigarettes…

In the first six months of 2024, enforcement forces of Quang Ninh Customs Department detected and handled 1,584 cases of smuggling, trade fraud and fake goods with the value of infringing goods of VND19,44 billion, up 41% in the number of cases and 52.1% in the value year-on-year. The forces criminally handled 27 cases/40 object; fined 1,448 administrative violations; sold and liquidated confiscated goods and imposed fines worth VND20.6 billion.

For violations of business and illegal transportation of coal and petroleum products, the Steering Committee 389 of Quang Ninh directed the enforcement forces to take measures, monitor the local situation, strengthen patrols to proactively prevent, promptly detect, arrest and strictly handle violations.

As a result, the local competent forces discovered, arrested and administratively handled 21 cases of illegal transportation and trading of petroleum, worth VND273 million, and fined VND467 million for administrative violations, seized 32,315 liters of Diesel oil, arrested 38 cases of illegal coal transportation and trading, with the value of infringing goods of VND358 million, imposed fines worth VND134 million, seized 1,772 tons of coal dust, 66 tons of peat, 16.77 tons of acid.

Regarding e-commerce activities, the provincial Steering Committee 389 directed the local competent forces to proactively review e-commerce activities, evaluate and identify methods and tricks to take advantage of e-commerce activities for smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods across borders to fight, detect, arrest and prosecute related to trading in goods and services via social networks and websites and e-commerce trading floor. As a result, the authorities handled 41 cases of e-commerce violations, seized infringing goods worth VND1.25 billion; fined about VND 700 million for administrative violations.

Clarifying the responsibilities of the leader

The provincial Steering Committee 389 forecasts that demand for goods and consumption of people and businesses will tend to increase, serving production and consumption during Tet in the last months of 2024, leading to the increase in smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, with complicated and unpredictable factors. Smugglers have abused complex and dangerous terrain of land and sea border routes to illegally transport prohibited items and high-value goods...

In order to control area, the Steering Committee 389 of Quang Ninh province directs the local competent authorities to grasp and implement the directions of leaders, review and identify smuggling and trade fraud to effectively combat. At the same time, proactively implement peak and thematic plans to fight against smuggling and trade fraud and specify responsibility heads of all levels, sectors, and localities, based on the principle of “specific people, specific tasks, specific responsibilities, specific areas” from the border to the inland.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, Head of the National Steering Committee 389:

Promote the application of digital technology to detect smuggling tricks

Regarding some key tasks in the near future, enforcement forces are required to be more drastic and coordinate better in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, including the role of the leader.

Ministries, branches and localities are required to strengthen inspection and supervision to promptly detect legal loopholes and errors to remind competent forces in performing public services; and improve the capacity of enforcement forces, especially the capacity of information technology application.

Media agencies are requested continue to innovate disseminate methods to raise awareness of people to become smart consumers.

Ministries, branches and localities need to promote the application of digital technology to promptly detect and handle acts of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the context of strong e-commerce development; strengthen international cooperation, refer to international experience in combating smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods.

(Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang spoke at the Online National Conference reviewing performance of the first half of the year, and defining orientations and tasks for the rest of the year hold by the National Steering Committee 389 on August 8, 2024).