Strictly control imports and trade of toxic chemicals

VCN – HCM City Police has just advised the HCM City Steering Committee 138 to direct Customs Department, the Department of Industry and Trade, the Market Surveillance Department to review all enterprises permitted to import and trade dangerous and toxic chemicals to conduct inspections of their law compliance.
Dual goals in managing chemicals and precursors Dual goals in managing chemicals and precursors
Ho Chi Minh City: Tightening management of trading of toxic chemicals Ho Chi Minh City: Tightening management of trading of toxic chemicals
Strictly control imports and trade of toxic chemicals
HCM City Police seizes the violating chemicals stored in the warehouse of violators. Photo: Provided by HCM City Police

Operating under the guise of chemical import enterprises

After more than a month of implementing a plan to inspect chemical trading in HCM City, in October 2024, HCM City Police had discovered and prosecuted five cases with 17 defendants for “illegal trading and storage of toxic substances”, seized more than 9,480 kg of cyanide, 315 kg of sulfuric acid, 105 kg of hydrochloric acid and many other related exhibits; and seized more than 318.5 kg of illegally traded cyanide in 11 provinces and cities.

Notably, expanding the investigation of a suicide case using cyanide, at the end of September, Binh Chanh District Police tackled a ring illegally trading in large quantities of cyanide under the guise of chemical trading and importing companies.

Specifically, Nguyen Thanh Tai (30, in Phu My ward, District 7) colluded with Ha Van Viet (41, Tan Phong ward, District 7), Khuc Van Hieu (36, Hiep Tan ward, Tan Phu district) to establish three companies, which were granted permits for trading in “Restricted chemicals for production and trade in the industrial sector” to import and trade cyanide chemicals.

After having a source of imported cyanide under the permit, the subjects illegally sold cyanide to customers without the business license for trading cyanide chemicals; and did not create a control sheet for buying and selling toxic chemicals to increase income for the company. Through inspecting the warehouses of these companies in HCM City and Long An, the police discovered and seized 3.95 tons of cyanide.

Additionally, employees of some chemical import enterprises have made fake sales contracts with partners to smuggle cyanide. Notably, the case of Ngo Thi Nhu Hue, Head of Sales Department of Nam Phuong Chemical Company Limited, who sold 2.55 tons of cyanide to the market, illegally profiting VND378 million.

HCM City Police has comprehensively reviewed, inspected, and handled enterprises, business households, and suspects of trading in toxic and dangerous chemicals in the city. Initially, the police identified violations related to trading chemicals without invoices, documents, unknown origin, Certificate of eligibility for trading in manufactured chemicals, and conditional trading in the industrial sector. The Investigation Police Department - District 5 Police prosecuted three cases of “Illegal storage and trading of toxic substances” at Tien Phat Company Limited Branch; Diep Xi electroplating business household, Ngan Loi business household; and prosecuted 6 defendants for “Illegal storage and trading of toxic substances” stipulated in Article 311 of the Penal Code.

Inspecting chemical importers

Currently, the production, business, and trade of toxic chemicals, multi-purpose chemicals have been easily abused in production and business and become increasingly complicated. If many chemical products are strictly managed and used for the right purpose, they will pose potential risks and directly harm human life and health.

Recently, the Minister of Industry and Trade issued Circular No. 19/2024/TT-BCT dated October 10, 2024, amending the National Technical Regulation on Safety in the production, trading, use, storage and transportation of hazardous chemicals. Factories and warehouses storing hazardous chemicals must comply with new safety regulations. The amended regulations will take effect from April 15, 2025. Additionally, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has completed the revised Law on Chemicals; drafted a Circular amending the QCVN 05A:2020/BCT National Technical Regulation on Safety in the production, trading, use, storage and transportation of hazardous chemicals to submit to competent authorities.

Talking to Customs News about customs procedures for imported chemicals, Mr. Vuong Tuan Nam, Head of Customs Control and Supervision Department – HCM City Customs Department said that imported chemicals are managed under the Law on Chemicals and legal guidance documents.

Accordingly, importing enterprises must register the licensed List, and the Customs will deduct each time when the enterprise imports. When carrying out customs procedures, enterprises must declare the correct name of the imported chemical. However, in reality, some importers have not declared in line with regulations, leading to being fined and applied sanctions prohibiting the import of chemicals for a certain period, depending on the violation. The use of chemicals after import is under the authority of the management agency for circulation in the domestic market.

Currently, on the social network Facebook, many groups have traded chemicals. Among them, cyanide is bought and resold in large quantities. According to the assessment of HCM City Police, the management of toxic chemical trading activities (especially cyanide) has revealed some loopholes and shortcomings; illegal trading of dangerous and toxic chemicals, especially cyanide, is carried out quite easily at chemical trading sites and on the social network.

A number of people illegally buy cyanide to serve the needs of mining, electroplating, and metal processing. The City Police have recorded many cases of murder, robbery or suicide using cyanide originating from the illegal trading.

To manage banned substances and toxic chemicals, we must tighten the supply on the market, creating scarcity, which will make it easier to control the number of users. In addition, improving production technology will help to narrow the scope of use of these chemicals.

In the immediate future, HCM City Police have advised the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee 138 to direct the city’s Customs Department, the Department of Industry and Trade, HCM City Market Surveillance Department, to coordinate with the Police to review all enterprises licensed to import and trade in dangerous and toxic chemicals to conduct inspections of law compliance.

By Le Thu/Ngoc Loan

Related News

Drug trafficking ring busted: Synthetic drugs concealed in pickled bamboo containers

Drug trafficking ring busted: Synthetic drugs concealed in pickled bamboo containers

VCN - Law enforcement agencies successfully dismantled two major drug trafficking operations, seizing a significant quantity of illicit drugs along with firearms and ammunition.
Promoting agricultural exports to the Japanese market

Promoting agricultural exports to the Japanese market

VCN - Japan's high-quality standards have become a driving force for continuous improvement in Vietnamese agricultural products to meet global consumer expectations and build a strong brand for Vietnamese agricultural products on the world map.
Paving the way for Vietnamese agricultural products in China

Paving the way for Vietnamese agricultural products in China

VCN - The signing of protocols between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the General Administration of Customs of China has created momentum for many domestic agricultural products. In 2025 and the coming years, participating in cross-border e-commerce channels is considered a potential direction for domestic enterprises to directly approach Chinese consumers.

Latest News

High-risk of foreigners colluding with drug traffickers to produce drugs in Vietnam

High-risk of foreigners colluding with drug traffickers to produce drugs in Vietnam

VCN – The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Department on Drug-related Crimes (C04) said that the Chinese and Taiwanese (China) suspects colluding to illegally procedure synthetic drugs in Vietnam show high-risk.
Exposing methods of hiding drugs and contraband goods through Cha Lo international border gate

Exposing methods of hiding drugs and contraband goods through Cha Lo international border gate

VCN - Hiding drugs inside personal shoes, cake boxes, paintings, storage compartments, ashtrays, in the hood and under the gear lever of cars...; mixing fireworks inside cargo containers, cabins, storage compartments, under the hood of vehicles... are the methods and tricks of the smugglers that have been discovered by the Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch (Quang Binh Customs Department).
Prevent counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms

Prevent counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms

VCN – Development of e-commerce has facilitated people but increased commercial fraud, especially counterfeit goods, goods infringing on intellectual property, goods of unknown origin.
Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling for e-commerce products

Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling for e-commerce products

VCN – In 2025 and in the near future, the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) will strengthen inspection and control for imports and transportation of products traded via online applications, goods traded on e-commerce platforms and sent via express delivery service, Director of the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department Vu Quang Toan said.

More News

At the end of the year, there is concern of counterfeit and smuggled goods entering into Ho Chi Minh City

At the end of the year, there is concern of counterfeit and smuggled goods entering into Ho Chi Minh City

VCN - Ho Chi Minh City is implementing many solutions to prevent smuggled and counterfeit goods from entering the market at the end of the year.
Rise in e-commerce violations sparks concern

Rise in e-commerce violations sparks concern

VCN - The increasing sophistication of violations in e-commerce operations is presenting significant challenges for regulatory agencies, with offenders employing advanced tactics to evade detection.
Lang Son intensifies crackdown on smuggling and trade fraud

Lang Son intensifies crackdown on smuggling and trade fraud

VCN - The end of the year marks a period of heightened smuggling and trade fraud activities along the Lang Son provincial border. In response, local enforcement agencies have ramped up inspections and controls to detect and prevent tax evasion, counterfeit goods, and smuggling operations.
Numerous FDI enterprises face suspension of customs procedures due to tax debt

Numerous FDI enterprises face suspension of customs procedures due to tax debt

VCN - Several foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises in HCM City have been subjected to coercive measures, including the suspension of customs procedures, for overdue import-export and domestic tax liabilities.
Concerns over counterfeit goods in e-commerce and express delivery

Concerns over counterfeit goods in e-commerce and express delivery

VCN - The proliferation of counterfeit goods and intellectual property (IP) violations in e-commerce has become a significant challenge for businesses and authorities alike. This issue was highlighted at the seminar titled "Enhancing Cooperation to Combat Smuggling, Counterfeiting, and IP Violations," organized by Customs Magazine last weekend in Ho Chi Minh City.
Illegal transport of currency and gold tends to increase near Lunar New Year

Illegal transport of currency and gold tends to increase near Lunar New Year

VCN - The smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods across the border has become complicated, especially illegal transport of currency and gold.
Smuggling forecast for the Lunar New Year 2025  will be complicated

Smuggling forecast for the Lunar New Year 2025 will be complicated

VCN - This is the assessment made by the Steering Committee 389 of the Ministry of Finance during the peak of the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2025.
Tax authorities crack down on invoice fraud to legalize smuggled goods

Tax authorities crack down on invoice fraud to legalize smuggled goods

VCN - As part of efforts to combat smuggling and trade fraud during the Lunar New Year season, the Steering Committee 389 of the Ministry of Finance has instructed the General Department of Taxation to intensify enforcement against illegal practices involving fraudulent invoices and tax evasion.
Share experiences in crime prevention coordination between Customs and Police

Share experiences in crime prevention coordination between Customs and Police

VCN - On December 6, 2024, the General Department of Customs and the People's Police Academy co-organized the scientific workshop "Improving the effectiveness of coordination between the People's Police force and the Customs force in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and drugs at border gates and border areas in the new situation".
Read More

Your care

Latest Most read
Drug trafficking ring busted: Synthetic drugs concealed in pickled bamboo containers

Drug trafficking ring busted: Synthetic drugs concealed in pickled bamboo containers

Law enforcement agencies successfully dismantled two major drug trafficking operations, seizing a significant quantity of illicit drugs along with firearms and ammunition
High-risk of foreigners colluding with drug traffickers to produce drugs in Vietnam

High-risk of foreigners colluding with drug traffickers to produce drugs in Vietnam

VCN - In 2024, the enforcement authorities have not detected any illegal production of semi-synthetic and synthetic drugs nationwide.
Exposing methods of hiding drugs and contraband goods through Cha Lo international border gate

Exposing methods of hiding drugs and contraband goods through Cha Lo international border gate

VCN - Hiding drugs inside personal shoes, cake boxes, paintings, storage compartments, ashtrays, in the hood and under the gear lever of cars...; mixing fireworks inside cargo containers, cabins, storage compartments, under the hood of vehicles... are the
Prevent counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms

Prevent counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms

VCN - Over the past time, the number of violations and handling in the e-commerce environment has constantly increased, with the nature of violations and complicated developments.
Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling for e-commerce products

Customs sector strengthens anti-smuggling for e-commerce products

VCN - In 2024, the preventing and combating smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods across the border have gained remarkable achievements.
Mobile Version