Working off 20 containers of banned meat - bone meal

Imported goods at Cat Lai port - HCMC. Photo: Thu Hòa

The above shipment has Bill of lading number MSCUPM093063 transported by shipping company MSC to Cat Lai port in June 2016. The information on the manifest showed importer was D Co., Ltd. After the shipment arrived at Cat Lai port, the shipping company had not sent the delivery order to the importer so the Economic Security Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (A86- Ministry of Public Security) issued a document and sent to HCMC Customs Department in order to suspend the clearance of that shipment, sealed and hold it in custody at Cat Lai port.

Then, the units, including A86, an Inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Animal Health Region VI Agencies, Saigon Newport Corporation, a representative of the shipping company and Saigon port area 1 Customs Branch conducted a physical inspection in order to take samples of the shipment for quarantine. As a result, it showed that imported goods are pork meat - bone meal, used as raw materials for animal feed production containing DNA of cows, sheep, originating from countries not allowed to export flour, meat, and bone to Vietnam.

Information about the investigation of imported meat and bone meal in the 20 containers above, Mr. Hoang Ngoc Tu, Deputy Director of A86 - Ministry of Public Security said that, following the direction of the Deputy Prime Minister - Truong Hoa Binh, about the investigation and handling the shipment as fast as possible, A86 has been actively investigating, and identifying violators.

After that, A86 invited the director of the enterprise to come to the office and examined many related documents provided by the bank and the company. The Director acknowledged that they confirmed on the import dossiers of this shipment, this is a fault of the director and Company D. In particular, the director of the company had exchanged email with forwarding companies to accept 20 containers of meat - bone meal. However, the confirmation to the forwarding company was not a signed contract or purchase agreement, it was only certified to deliver the goods. At the same time, Company D. sent a letter to the shipping company to confirm and recommend transporting that shipment to Vietnam via Cat Lai port.

However, later, the company D. sent an email to the shipping company to inform that they refused to receive the above shipment. The reason is that through reviewing data they discovered mistakes and that the shipment was not bought from foreign suppliers.

Furthermore, the director acknowledged that the importing of 20 containers of meat-bone meal was a consequence of the confirmation and suggestion for shipping the above shipment between Company D. and the forwarding company. The act of confirmation is a subjective error of the Directors and Company D thus the company is taking full responsibility under the provisions of Vietnam law; complying with sanctioning decisions of the authorities. Company D. will contact the foreign partner and stakeholders to handle the case in the shortest time.

According to representatives from A86, the results showed that there are insufficient foundations for criminal proceedings, but enough evidence to handle administrative violations for Company D.

At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Van Tien, Deputy Chief Inspector - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that, there was close coordination with Customs authorities in detecting the violated shipment. Currently, the foreign shippers applied for taking back this shipment and authorize for another enterprise in Vietnam to take responsibility and cost procedures to carry out the re-export of the shipment, and accept administrative fines if any.

As a coordinative unit, the 20 containers of meat - bone meal are held in custody, the Deputy Manager of Saigon port area 1 Customs Branch - Le Nguyen Linh asserted that the offense of company D has been proved and there is enough foundation for execution.

Mrs. Doan Phi Van, Deputy Head of Advisory and General Affairs Division - HCMC Customs Department also thought that company D. has acknowledged their violations in transporting infringing goods into Vietnam even though it was not intentionally. Thus, there was sufficient legal basis to make a violated record for Company D.

At the meeting, related parties have agreed to quickly handle this shipment.

Giving a conclusion at the meeting, the Deputy Director of HCMC Customs - Le Dinh Loi confirmed that, following the instruction of the Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, HCMC Customs Department has been actively coordinating with relevant units to verify and clarify in order to handle the 20 imported containers of banned meat - bone meal.

With regard to this shipment, based on the results of investigation and verification of A86- Ministry of Public Security, Company D. admitted their fault for transporting the shipment into Vietnam , the participated units in the meeting agreed to handle administrative violations, force to re-export the entire shipment; transfer to Inspection - the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement all procedures of established violation records and sanction; Company D is responsible to contact related parties in order to re-export the above shipment.

HCMC Customs Department has issued a document and proposed to the General Department of Customs, Ministry of Finance to report to the Government for comments on the handling of the shipments.