Preventing contraband beverages at the Quang Tri border

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Quang Tri Customs Enforcement Team counts infringing goods. Photo: Quang Hung

As usual, every June and July, the authorities on Route 9, Quang Tri strengthened the fight against illicit trade and transportation of consumer goods without valid invoices and documents. Because this time is summer, with hot weather and the demand for essential goods of the people increases, the smugglers sneakily bring sugar, beer and soft drinks across the border.

The Customs Enforcement Team is the main force of Quang Tri Customs Department in the fight against smuggling and illegal transportation of goods on Route 9 - the lifeline connecting trade between Vietnam and Laos. These days, the team has been drastically implementing the peak anti-smuggling plan. In particular, the customs force has put an eye on items such as sugar, beer, and soft drinks. Accordingly, the working groups regularly raise their vigilance and strictly control the Sepon border river area, in order to close trails and border crossings; organize reconnaissance and collect information from the both sides of the border gate, the Sepon river route and Route 9 proactively detect and promptly prevent acts of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border.

The Customs storage is currently storing a variety of infringing goods. Most of these goods are white sugar, beer, soft drinks, cigarettes, and consumer electronics (including air conditioners, blenders, cosmetics, clothes, etc.) made by foreign manufacturers.

The leader of the Customs Enforcement Team said compared to previous years, the methods and tricks of smugglers have not changed. Most of infringing goods are transported across the Sepon River, then on trails and border crossings by suspects who are familiar with the border terrain to the gathering places, waiting for the right opportunity to enter the domestic market. The suspects prefer to use motorbikes and trucks to hide goods, to evade patrols and control by authorities. On the other hand, in order to distract the investigation of the Customs force, the suspects have often changed their means of transport, even using small trucks carrying ordinary goods, making it difficult for the Customs force.

“At this time, when the hot weather lasts long, the demand for consumer goods such as white sugar, beer and soft drinks increases, making the transportation of these items more complicated, these are also the officially imported product, making a great contribution to the revenue through the area. Therefore, the anti-smuggling results of the customs enforcement team are not only creating a fair business environment, protecting genuine businesses, but also contributing to preventing loss for state budget," said the leader of the Customs Enforcement Team.

Besides the achieved results, Quang Tri Customs enforcement team has also faced many difficulties like geographical characteristics and complex topography, plus the trading habits of border residents and aggressiveness and recklessness of smugglers who are ready to fight back fiercely against competent forces. Meanwhile, the Customs anti-smuggling force is thin, and equipment, means and supporting tools for the anti-smuggling work are not enough.

As at the headquarters of the Customs Control Team, the suspects regularly arrange people to monitor all activities of the Customs officers 24/24. These “spotters" inform vehicle owners and goods owners about the activities of the Customs officers to actively evade inspection and control, making it difficult to carry out anti-smuggling work.

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At the Conference on implementing the work of the last six months of 2022 of the Customs sector, the leader of Quang Tri Customs Department said, in addition to creating favorable conditions for enterprises in import and export activities, the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and drug prevention and control are regular and continuous tasks. In which, the customs should focus on directing the implementation of professional measures to control, investigate and grasp the situation; collect, analyze information and coordinate with other authorities in the area.