Proposing solutions to prevent fraud from transit goods

	Proposing to implement Customs procedure via ASEAN transit system
	Customs has blocked many Chinese counterfeit goods "Made in Vietnam"
	Complete regulations to avoid taking advantage of transit goods for smuggling

Illustration

Hidden smuggled goods

According to the HCM City Customs Department, the types of transit and bonded warehouse activites with a high risk of hosting contraband goods includes importing prohibited goods, tax evasion and violating goods policy. Goods in transit and bonded warehouses mainly come from transit countries and bonded warehouses into Vietnam and are exported to Cambodia via the Vietnam - Cambodia border gate in Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, An Giang and Kien Giang provinces.

In the past, taking advantage of the open mechanism on transit goods, bonded warehouses; enterprises carried out customs procedures, made false declarations and did not declare other goods in the goods lot (in which there may be goods banned from import). In the process of transporting transit goods, enterprises may withdraw goods for consumption in Vietnam.

Another procedure for the transit shipments including conditional imported goods, goods of great value or goods banned from import, after the shipment leaves Vietnam, the enterprise will seek to import back with many different methods such as, splitting the shipment to transport through the trail, open way, chicken wings or the enterprise opens the declaration, taking advantage of the separation of inspection free to import back to Vietnam. Thus, through the above tricks, conditional imports, prohibited goods, contraband goods are smuggled inland by smugglers for the purpose of tax evasion, avoiding specialised inspection, creating unfair competition in business.

The Customs Department of Ho Chi Minh City is implementing Plan 1412 / KH-TCHQ on March 13, 2019 of the General Department of Customs on "Strengthening control over transit and temporary import for re-export from Vietnam to Cambodia" , aiming to detect and prevent acts of abusing policies on transit goods and temporary import for re-export.

Proposing installation of positioning seal

To manage transit goods, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department Nguyen Huu Nghiep asked the Customs sector in coordination with relevant ministries and agencies to soon issue regulations on compulsory installation of cruise monitoring equipment for inland waterway transport vehicles and information sharing for road and water transport vehicles for general export and import goods; goods in transit, the temporary import for re-export goods in particular are subject to customs inspection, supervision and control through the National Single Window to serve the state management of customs. He said it’s necessary to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Transport to obtain the journey information of transport vehicles in transit.

Besides, building regulations on transit goods procedures to increase sanctions for administrative violations and strict management of violations of transit goods, in case of discovering transit goods are prohibited goods without a permit, they must be confiscated; to build a database of related ministries and branches and apply control measures to screen those who are "goods owners in transit" with warehouse and storage facilities contraband goods in the inland area, serving for the investigation, object management, prevention and handling of violations. To build software for management of transit goods transport means and the temporary import for re-export goods in service of management at the Customs Sub-Departments where goods are transported and customs sub-departments where goods are transported.

Regarding transporting goods in transit, it is necessary to manage the licensing of transport activities. Container and bulk cargo from ships to ports will carry out transit procedures, sealing up and loading on the transport means, in addition to the seal of shipping companies (goods in containers), and must be sealed by customs seals to arrival of export goods to Cambodia with inspection checks and comparing the seal between the file. It is necessary to apply the guarantee payment for the whole lot of goods owners and customs declarants when participating in transport procedures.

For means of transport, it is necessary to apply technical supervision and to share the "Black Box" data of the Ministry of Transport to manage the transport itinerary; strengthen coordination work for transit goods, temporary import for re-export goods so that the goods can be transported on the right route on time, to prevent goods being smuggled into the inland. For export border gates, the customs sub-department of the border gate has goods in coordination with relevant units such as the Border Guard, Police and Traffic Management at the Vietnam - Cambodia border to transport goods through the border. At the same time, it is necessary to prevent contraband from returning to Vietnam through trails and opening ways to evade import tax of Vietnam and Cambodia.

New chance for transporting transit goods between ASEAN countries

Strengthening coordination, exchange and sharing of information for transit goods, temporary import for re-export goods with Cambodia Customs for analysis, statistics, case verification for enterprises showing signs of violation, capturing and timely handle violations. At the same time, it’s key to increase sanctions for violations of transit goods and detect transit goods that are banned goods without license and confiscate them.