(CPV) - The General Department of Customs has just released information on the complicated developments in smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border. Notably, the smuggling of gold, diamonds and foreign currency tends to increase sharply, especially on air routes and land borders.
On the air route, in a short period of time, customs authorities discovered 3 cases of passengers entering the country hiding 13kg of metal suspected to be gold through Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) and Tan Son Nhat Airport Customs coordinated with functional forces to arrest 2 cases of smuggling more than 1,000 diamonds.
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Diamonds cleverly hidden in many candy boxes were seized by Tan Son Nhat Airport Customs in coordination with functional forces (Photo: HP) |
At the border lines, especially in the Central region bordering Laos and Cambodia, the trading and transportation of firecrackers and white sugar continues to take place. In addition, the areas bordering Vietnam - China and Vietnam - Cambodia have also become hot spots for the transportation of goods of unknown origin, without invoices and documents, mainly food, cigarettes and tobacco leaves.
In addition, although the number of cases with signs of criminality decreased slightly compared to the same period in 2023, the General Department of Customs said that there was a phenomenon of taking advantage of registered corporate legal entities to commit commercial fraud. Some subjects used fake companies, not operating at the registered address or forged information of legal representatives to import restricted business goods, especially chemicals requiring strict control. In the past period, the customs sector prosecuted two violations related to the illegal use of digital signatures and bank accounts of corporate legal entities for commercial fraud.
Data from the General Department of Customs in October 2024 showed that smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border increased significantly. Specifically, the number of violations increased by 43.4% compared to the same period last year, while the value of infringing goods was estimated to increase by 279.3%. Notably, violations on the sea route accounted for nearly 50% of the total number of detected, arrested and handled cases, with an increase of 61.3% compared to 2023.
The illegal trading and transportation of drugs and precursors across the border also continues to be complicated, especially on air, express, road and sea routes. In this context, the General Department of Customs, as an advisory body to the National Steering Committee 389 and the Ministry of Finance's Steering Committee 389, has issued many documents directing and warning the entire industry to strengthen the fight against smuggling and trade fraud. Specific activities include strengthening the prevention of smuggling of lobster seeds across the border and preventing illegal transportation of pigs across the southwestern border into Vietnam... The General Department also conducted a preliminary review of the Plan to control drugs and import and export of drug precursors in 2024, and at the same time deployed the ANNEX campaign to strictly control express delivery routes within the framework of cooperation with the CECWG, with the participation of 9 ASEAN countries.
As a result, in October 2024, the Customs sector detected, arrested and handled 1,775 cases of customs law violations, with an estimated value of violated goods of up to VND 2,529 billion. The Customs agency prosecuted 3 cases and transferred 13 cases to other agencies for prosecution recommendations. The amount of money collected and paid to the state budget reached VND 223.1 billion. In the first 10 months of 2024, the Customs sector detected 14,724 cases of customs law violations, with an estimated value of violated goods of about VND 26,286 billion. The authorities prosecuted 24 cases and recommended prosecution of 141 cases, paying VND 745.68 billion to the state budget.
In the field of drug prevention and control, in October 2024, the Customs coordinated with the Police and Border Guard forces to detect 15 cases involving 16 subjects, of which the Customs presided over 11 cases. The seized exhibits included 85.82 kg of various drugs, including 11.24 kg of marijuana, 14.37 kg of heroin, 9.83 grams of cocaine, 4.86 kg of ketamine, 55.34 kg and 3,200 synthetic drug pills, along with many other types of drugs. From the beginning of the year to the end of October 2024, the Customs force detected 260 cases, seizing a total of about 1.73 tons of various drugs, with close coordination from the functional forces.
The efforts of the Customs sector in the fight against smuggling and crime in recent times demonstrate a strong commitment to protecting national economic security and social safety, in the context of the situation of smuggling and trade fraud remaining very complicated and sophisticated./.
Source: https://dangcongsan.vn/kinh-te/tinh-trang-buon-lau-qua-bien-gioi-gia-tang-manh-682867.html
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