Scattered movements of goods at bonded warehouses in Mong Cai

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Office and An Phat bonded warehouse are deserted. Photo: Quang Hung

Goods in and out bonded warehouses are scattered

On the mid-October 2017, a Customs Newspaper correspondent had visited some of the bonded warehouses in Quang Ninh province. Quang Ninh province has 16 bonded warehouses, of which 14 warehouses are located in Mong Cai city. In order to carry out procedures for imported-exported goods in these 14 bonded warehouses, Quang Ninh Customs Department has assigned Mong Cai Border Gate Customs Branch (I-Ka Long Import-Export Cargo Procedure Team) management and supervision.

According to the correspondent, most of the bonded warehouses are located close to main roads of Mong Cai city, this is quite convenient for goods transport. Moreover, Mong Cai Customs Branch appoints permanent Customs officers as well as equips the surveillance camera system to handle the procedures, contributing to creating the most favorable conditions for traders.

However, in recent 2 to 3 months, activities in the bonded warehouses were quiet. At 9:30 am when the correspondent arrived a bonded warehouse of Quang Ninh Customs Branch (located at Km2, Hoa Binh national road), the warehouse was still closed without any signs of goods movement.

The bonded warehouse of Quang Ninh Marine Branch covers an area of 10,000 m2 and is well-equipped with 4 stocks, offices and yards. Looking at the Customs surveillance camera, we just knew that there was only one stock in operating. At a small corner, a container of cigarettes was moving into the stock, this was also a rare shipment moving into the stock in recent days.

Mr. Tran Van Hieu, a Customs officer at Mong Cai Border Gate Customs Branch said that the goods in this bonded warehouse include cigarettes and tobacco raw materials. Every day, traders carried out export procedures for several hundred packages of cigarettes, equivalent to about ¼ container. Goods in and out the warehouse have gradually reduced from early 2017, especially in recent months.

The Customs surveillance camera system showed that the bonded warehouse of the Quang Ninh Marine Branch currently stores about 30 to 40 containers of tobacco shreds and finished tobacco. Of which there are 5 to 7 containers of finished tobacco. Of these, there were shipments stored in the warehouse 4 to 5 months ago. At this time, traders have to seek measures to sell the goods to provinces: Lang Son and Cao Bang.

Leaving the bonded warehouse of Quang Ninh Marine Branch, we continued to visit Quang Phat bonded warehouse (located in Ha Long area, Ninh Duong ward, Mong Cai city). This warehouse consists of 3 stocks of cigarettes brand ESSE. Mr. Nguyen Van Hoc, a Customs officer at Mong Cai border gate Customs Branch shared that the situation in this bonded warehouse was not good. In recent 3 months, the goods in and out the warehouse were is relatively few, every day, the warehouse only delivered less than 1 container. Several days ago, traders had to deliver back to Haiphong to return to Hong Kong partner.

Regarding the bonded warehouse of Mong Cai Trade and Service Joint Stock Company, which was burnt in late September 2017, Nguyen Van Hoc said that cigarettes were a valuable commodity, so traders paid a lot of attention to the fire and explosion prevention in order to limit possible incidents. However, the burning of bonded warehouses in the recent time also made traders worried about the goods storage.

Images of goods in Quang Phat bonded warehouses on the Customs surveillance camera system

Customs strictly control inventories

At the Customs online conference of the 3rd quarter of 2017, the leader of Quang Ninh Customs Department said that Mong Cai city now still has 1.5 million bales of cigarettes and about 3,000 tons of other goods, making it difficult for traders in goods preservation and storage. This caused by that temporary import for re-export traders and bonded warehouse traders in the area are facing many difficulties in delivering goods to partners.

Before the status of a large amount of inventories at bonded warehouses in Mong Cai and the high risk of illegal import to the domestic market, if lacking strict control, Quang Ninh Customs Department directs units to strengthen inspection, supervision, and control of goods stored in bonded warehouses. Accordingly, the Department requires its branches to thoroughly guide its Customs officers, especially officers in charge of bonded warehouses and goods delivering areas to enhance their responsibilities, strictly implement the Customs procedures, Customs control, Custom inspection and supervision of goods in and out the bonded warehouses; to provide adequate officers to monitor 24/7 for all activities of the bonded warehouses. Customs officers in a change of bonded warehouses must closely monitor goods and means of transportation in, out, stored and preserved in the bonded warehouse as well as implement other services in the bonded warehouses as per regulations.

Quang Ninh Customs: Closely manage goods stored in bonded warehouses VCN- Quang Ninh Customs has directed subordinate units to strengthen inspection, supervision and control goods stored in ...

Quang Ninh Customs also requests its branches to strengthen the customs inspection and supervision for goods transported from bonded warehouses to export border gates and goods delivering places to ensure strict management of goods from leaving the bonded warehouses to actually leaving the territory of Vietnam. Branches closely coordinate with the control teams to provide timely and full information about the goods. On the other hand, bonded warehouse owners are required to reasonably arrange places of goods according to each import goods declaration; and not to put goods of many different declarations at the same place to avoid the exchange of goods in bonded warehouses.