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An Giang Border Guard seized used electronic products. Photo: Chien Khu

Electronic products are transported inland

According to the Steering Committee of 389 of Long An and An Giang provinces, besides “traditional items” such as tobacco and Thai sugar, the smuggling of electronic, refrigeration and electrical products has increased. These are relatively bulky items and they must be transported by trucks, so smugglers often strictly implement the transportation processes by hiring people to carefully monitor and guide roads, and use fake license plates to transport goods to the inland.

Recently, at 9 am on 16 February, the police forces of Thanh Hoa and Long An districts patrolled and inspected National Highway N2, in the area of Hamlet 1, Thanh An Commune, Thanh Hoa District, and discovered a truck with the license plate No. 51C-880.24, travelling towards Tan An City with the telltale signs of smuggling goods, so the forces requested the truck’s driver to stop for inspection. Through the inspection, the Police officers detected that this truck was transporting a large volume of electronic items, refrigeration and other electrical products, including 193 outdoor units and 258 indoor air conditioner units. There were also hundreds of other used items such as loudspeakers, tape recorders, steam fans, computer monitors and many other items, but the driver, Mr. Bui Minh Tuan, did not submit documents proving the origin of these used goods.

After 1 hour, also at this location, Thanh Hoa District Police discovered another truck with the license plate No. 51D-438.73 travelling to Tan An City, and transporting a large volume of used goods without legal documents of goods origin. These goods included 120 airconditioners (indoor and outdoor units), hundreds of other used items such as refrigerators, gramophones, computer monitors, loudspeakers, hard disks, watches, candlesticks, shoes, suitcases, backpacks and etc. The driver, Nguyen Hai Phong ( born in 1979, residing in Rach Gia, Kien Giang province), did not have invoices and documents proving the goods origin. Thanh Hoa District Police made a report on temporary seizure of infringing goods and transport means for investigation.

Before the Lunar New Year 2019, Police of Vinh Hung District of Long An province also arrested 4 trucks transporting large quantities of used goods, including: 16 refrigerators and 98 washing machines; 351 sets of indoor and outdoor air-conditioner units; 122 electric rice cookers and many other items such as fans, water heaters and music speakers.

Mr. Le Nam Quoc, Deputy Director of Long An Customs Department said that due to high consumer demand, smugglers often transport used electronic and refrigeration products in small volumes through tracks and trails. Then, gathering and transporting them by trucks to the inland, so that monitoring and arresting faces many difficulties. Although this activity takes place outside the Customs area, the Department requested Customs Enforcement Teams and Border Gate Customs Branches to strengthen specialized measures and collect information to report and coordinate in case of necessary action.

Also at An Giang Border, in the first days of 2019, the Border Guard of An Giang Province seized two trucks transporting large quantities of smuggled goods across the border. Most of the smuggled goods were used electronic and refrigeration products with nearly 400 items such as: Refrigerators, electric cookers, machinery, speakers, gas cookers, etc. The infringing goods were detected and seized at Tu canal, Vinh Tay 2 Comune, Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc City (An Giang province). There were two drivers, Nguyen Hoang Khanh (born in 1981) driving the truck with license plate No. 344.20 and Le Trung Hieu (born in 1990) driving the truck with license plate No. 51C-062.98 did not submit legitimate invoices and documents proving the origin of these goods. These two drivers claimed to be hired to transport the above goods from Cambodia to Vietnam. In order to distract the competent forces, driver Le Trung Hieu used a fake license plate to transport these goods.

At the end of 2018, at this location, the Border Guard force also discovered a truck with license plate 51C-207.70, transporting large quantities of used goods including; 118 loudspeakers, 34 CD players and other items such as amplifiers, air conditioners, televisions, sewing machines, radios, electric stoves, water heaters, thermos flasks and washing machines. This truck also transported 250 medicine boxes, 2,000 cosmetic boxes, 78 Chivas bottles, Nos., 18 and 21.

Needs to closely coordinate

“According to the survey conducted by competent authorities of An Giang province, there are 26 warehouses outside the border of An Giang province, especially in Ta Mau area. There are 12 warehouses opposite Vinh Nguon, Chau Doc City, where they are considered as the “Bay” of smuggled goods. Smuggled goods, such as electronic products, refrigerators, and electrical products are gathered there, waiting for the opportunity to smuggle into Vietnam. However, this area is outside Customs control area, and according to provisions, if seizing smuggled goods in this area, it needs the close coordination among competent forces. Sometimes, coordination is not quick, so the efficiency of seizure is insufficient,” –Mr. Nguyen Tan Buu- Deputy Director of An Giang Department said.

At the recent conference on performing the tasks of 2019 of the Steering Committee 389 of An Giang province, the Committee said that it has continuously assigned Customs and Border Guard forces to strengthen strict inspections and control at border routes, targeted areas, trails and tracks. In order to effectively prevent smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across border gates, the Police of An Giang province requested specialized divisions and units to develop plans for combating and tackling gangs and smuggling lines, trade fraud and counterfeit goods. The Market Surveillance Department strengthens the supervision and management of the area to promptly detect, inspect and handle warehouses, and storage yards for smuggled goods. Especially, the Steering Committee 389 of An Giang province asked competent agencies in the province to closely coordinate in exchanging information and deploy plans for fighting against smuggling.