Quang Tri: Smuggling bound to increase

Quảng Trị customs enforcement units have played the role in controlling and preventing goods from being smuggled through the Vietnam – Laos border route (Photo: Customs enforcement units are inspecting smuggled cigarettes)

The total value of seized goods was 24,44 billion vnd; administrative violation settlement and tax collection in arrears: 24,121 billion vnd (increasing by 40% in comparison with the same period of the year 2015).

According to the Steering Board 389 of Quang Tri province, the situation of smuggling, trading fake goods and commercial fraud has been on the increase in comparison with the last months of the year 2015. The main cause is the augmenting domestic need of consuming items and the gaps of prices of the same goods on the domestic and foreign markets

In addition, the amount of travelers and means of transport crossing Lao Bao and Lalay international border gates has been climbing, resulting in complicated tax violations.

Typically on the route Vietnam – Laos, especially at Lao Bao international border gate, smugglers made use of the mechanism of exporting goods from Vietnam into Laos with duty drawback and exporting goods such as spirits, Heineken beer, Ensure milk, produced by foreign companies into Laos and then attempting to move illegally into Vietnam.

This kind of operation is mainly performed in the area of the Sepon river banks. Smugglers often gather goods in the areas of Laos in a sneaky manner. Then they divide consignments into small packs and wait for chances to hire porters to carry goods across the border or use motor boats to transport goods in the river and distribute them into local people’s houses.

Goods smuggled into the domestic market are mainly consumable items such as cigarettes, spirits, beer, beverage, sticky rice, sugar, confectionery, oil…

At the same time, smugglers and owners of means of transport always attempt to conceal their goods in the area between Lao Bao Trade Zone and the internal area (Gate B) and on the highway No. 9. Other groups of smugglers use consolidated coaches to hide their goods or conceal smuggled goods in huge ones; gather means of transport at the gate B and then hire porters to carry goods on their back through the two sides of the gate B. They always keep watching inspection and control activities by enforcement units so that they may escape from inspection and control. The situation of smuggling goods, selling goods of unidentified origin, goods of poor quality, breaking food safety and sanitary requirements and violating trademark and price posting regulations still occurs.

Goods violating regulations on stamping, brands and trademark, intellectual property rights are on sale with a small scale and mainly in markets, countryside and remote areas.

Commercial fraud acts are mostly related to false declaration, i.e. declared prices lower than market prices in order to evade the value added tax (VAT) and income tax (mainly motorbikes, automobile, imported wood…)

The Steering Board 389 of Quang Tri province foresees that smuggling, commercial fraud and fake goods would be increasing and more complicated. Smugglers are conducting more sophisticated methods; some people are daring to transport smuggled goods on motocycles, which raise difficulties for enforcement units to seize goods and settlement.

The Steering Board 389 of Quang Tri province requested enforcement units on duty of anti-smuggling and fighting against commercial fraud and fake goods to strengthen educating their staff in politics, morality and integrity; to launch emulation movements in Customs and other provincial associated agencies; to award officials who attain excellent achievement in anti-smuggling, fighting against commercial fraud and fake goods in a timely manner and to treat violation strictly.

Forces such as border defense units, Customs on the border routes and areas should direct their own units to enhance reconnaissance, monitor situations and coordinate with functional units in Lao Bao Trade Zone and the highway No. 9 for effective monitoring of trading of banned and smuggled goods across the border, in border areas and customs areas.