Setting up checkpoints for border security

Checkpoint at the trail of Vinh Xuong border gate area (An Giang province). Photo: T.H

Checkpoints set along the border line

In the early days of 2021, the weather on the southwest border was cold in the early morning and evening, along with heavy winds that made the checkpoints of the Inter-Agency working group nestled on the trails and the opening paths of the border area become uncertain terrain.

Taking a reporter of Customs News to the field at the border gate buffer zone, Tran Tan Loi, Manager of Vinh Xuong Customs Branch (An Giang) said the buffer zone bordering Cambodia has 64 households so many open path arise. To strictly control the illegal transport of goods, as well as the illegal entry and exit country, the Customs and Border Defence authority set up checkpoints. Since the end of September 2020, due to the complex situation of the pandemic, the forces had been strengthened to control checkpoints. Currently, on more than 1km of road at Vinh Xuong border gate, there are eight checkpoints of inter-agency forces.

At the inter-agency checkpoints, although living conditions are extremely difficult in the tent roofs set up temporarily on the trails, opening path to the border area, with the beds as hammocks and folding chairs, customs, police and border defence forces all try to overcome difficulties to complete the task of strict control on the border.

Not only at Vinh Xuong border gate, in An Giang border gate areas such as Tinh Bien, Khanh Binh and Bac Dai the road and river checkpoints are also strengthened to ensure inspection and supervision during peak times.

The contraband goods were seized by Tinh Bien inter-agency working group. Photo: T.H

Effective control of smuggling across the border

The strengthening of forces at checkpoints on the border is not only ensured pandemic prevention but also controlled and seized hundreds of cases of trafficking and smuggling of contraband goods by this core force. Loi, Manager of Vinh Xuong Customs Branch, said the area of ​​Vinh Xuong Border Gate had a buffer zone adjacent to Cambodia near the residential area, so combating smuggling and illegal transport of goods was very difficult because the subjects take advantage of this to illegally transport via trails and open paths in residential areas, especially at night.

In recent years, Vinh Xuong Customs Branch has implemented many measures including patrol, control the opening paths and trails, detect and seizing many large-scale cases of illegal transport of goods. During the peak period of Covid-19 pandemic prevention, the unit discovered and prevented many cases of illegal import and export of medical equipment for pandemic prevention and illegal transport of goods across the border, including banned goods. A case of illegally transporting two guns (suspected as airguns) over the border was discovered by the Working Group of Customs and Border Defence in the night of December 12, 2020 at the inter-agency checkpoint at the border. Besides that, taking advantage of the dark night, smugglers who illegally crossed rivers and illegally transported goods across the border were seized by Customs while they were patrolling.

Since the forces deployed inter-agency checkpoints on the border at the end of September 2020, patrol and control were carried out day and night, so the situations of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods are strictly controlled. The inter-agency forces have discovered hundreds of violations, limited the situation of gathering goods in the border area, waiting for the opportunity to transport them inland for consumption. After three months of deployment, the competent forces checked and seized 853 cases, involving 418 subjects. The seized goods include 51 kg of gold, nearly 290,000 packs of foreign cigarettes of all kinds, more than 188 tonnes of sugar, ceramics, plant protection medicine, modern medicine, and many other goods with a total value in excess of VND 90 billion.

As one of the strengthened forces for the border checkpoint in Vinh Xuong, the representative of the Women's Union of Vinh Xuong Commune said the women were told to disseminate the law and encourage people not to abide by smuggling and illegal immigration at the same time, taking care of meals for soldiers who performed duty of patrolling and controlling day and night on the border.

Stormy winds caused the watershed of the Tien river to create undulating waves, along with the road patrol checkpoints, the patrol speedboats of the two customs branches on the river turned waves in the night to perform their duties and control on the borderline, ensure security and bring spring to everyone.