Quang Ninh: enhance the prevention of smuggled cigarettes

Smuggled cigarettes was seized by Quang Ninh Customs force. Photo: Q.H

Recently, in the media, there were reports about smuggling, illegal trading of e-cigarettes, and heated cigarettes, causing huge tax losses to the state budget in general and increasing the harmful effects of using cigarettes to public health, especially young people.

Facing the above situation, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked for the strengthening of the the prevention of cigarette smuggling (in Official Letter No. 8750/VPCP-V.I dated October 20, 2020).

As a permanent agency of the Steering Committee 389 in Quang Ninh, Quang Ninh Customs Department has advised leaders of the Steering Committee 389 in Quang Ninh to direct member sectors, People's Committees and Steering Committees of districts and cities to enhance the fight against smuggling and illegal transportation of cigarettes.

Accordingly, the competent forces have strengthened the gathering of information, grasping the situation in the area; chairing and coordinating closely to inspect and control in order to promptly detect and strictly handle acts of smuggling, illegal transport, storing and trading of cigarettes (cigarettes, cigars, electronic cigarettes and heated cigarettes) in accordance with Decree No. 98/2020/ND-CP of the Government dated August 26, 2020, stipulating the sanctioning of administrative violations in trading activities, production and sale of counterfeit, prohibited goods and consumer protection.

On the other hand, it is necessary to strengthen leadership and direction to bring the coordination into practice. Besides the coordination between competent forces in the province, it is necessary to strengthen coordination with the central competent forces such as the Coast Guard Region 1, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs), and Criminal Investigation on corruption, economy, and smuggling of Police Department (C03, Ministry of Public Security) in sharing information, patrol and control to promote synergy in prevention and fighting.

The member sectors of the Steering Committee 389 of provinces, the People's Committees and the Steering Committee 389 of localities continue to promote the communication and dissemination of the law to all people to change perceptions of the impact on the competitiveness of the economy caused by smuggled goods as well as the harmful effects of using cigarettes on public health; condemn violations, praise the typical collectives and individuals in the fight against smuggling.

At the same time, reviewing the system of legal documents related to the management of cigarettes; promptly detecting loopholes, shortcomings and overlaps in mechanisms and policies to propose and suggest competent authorities to amend, supplement or issue new relevant legal documents in order to strictly manage and limit the harmful effects of cigarettes on the health of consumers, especially young people.