A company declared 1,050 imported pigs, but after these pigs were brought to the quarantine place, there were only 650 pigs. Have the 400 remaining pigs disappeared?

A working team of Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch with the representative
of Bac-Trung-Nam Company. Photo: Cha Lo Customs Branch.

Talking to Customs News, the leader of Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch (Quang Binh Customs Department), said on December 26, 2020, Bac-Trung- Nam Investment Consultants and Development Company Limited (Bac-Trung- Nam Company) hired a customs broker at Global Alliance Logistics JSC (at the address at 31 Hoang Dieu, Ward 12, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City) to carry out import procedures for a shipment of 1,050 live pigs for pork production (weighing from 90-120 kg/ pig) at the Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch, Quang Binh Customs Department.

The shipment was issued a certificate of transferring imported animal to the quarantine place No. 483/CN-ĐVCLKD dated December 26 by Cha Lo Animal Quarantine Station under the Branch of Animal Health of Region III.

Based on this certificate, Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch allowed the firm to transport the shipment to quarantine place at TDP. Dau Cau, Ba Hang ward, Pho Yen town, Thai Nguyen province.

On January 21, the firm submitted to the Customs the original Certificate of Quarantine for imported animals No.03/CN-KDĐVNK dated January 9, 2021 issued by the Branch of Animal Health of Region II and Sanction Decision No.04/QÐ-XPVPHC dated January 1, 2021 of the Department of Animal Health for the company for transporting the imported animals to the quarantine place with the quantity inconsistent with the quantity approved in the quarantine record.

The number of pigs in the infringing consignment of the Bac-Trung-Nam company.
Photo provided by Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch.

Specifically, the Branch of Animal Health of Region II issued the Quarantine Certificate for 650 live pigs and the sanction decision showed the inspection by the branch in the quarantine place, and there were only 650 pigs, and lacked 400 pigs compared to the declaration.

Through the process of collecting, analysing and evaluating information, the Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch found the imported shipment was not preserved and quarantined in accordance with regulations.

Based on current regulations, the Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch inspected the preservation of the company's goods, and worked with the animal quarantine agencies to identify some problems related to the number of live pigs stated in the import declaration.

At the working session with the Cha Lo Animal Quarantine Station, when goods arrived at the border gate, the station conducted an inventory for the sufficient quantity of 1,050 pigs, meeting quarantine requirements, then sealed the box of each means of transport and issued certificates of transporting imported animals to quarantine places.

The isolation place is Dau Cau residential group, Ba Hang ward, Pho Yen commune, Thai Nguyen province. At the same time the station provided information to the Branch of Animal Health of Region II for inspection, supervision and performance of the following quarantine steps.

On January 25, 2021, the Branch of Livestock, Animal Health And Fisheries said that the branch did not issue the Quarantine Certificate for live pigs for Bac-Trung-Nam Company from December 26 to the working session.

On January 26, 2021, Cha Lo Border Gate Customs Branch worked with the Branch of Animal Health of Region II. As a result, the the Branch of Animal Health of Region II confirmed that, on December 28, 2020, when conducting a physical inspection and taking samples at the quarantine place of ​​the Company, it realised that there were only 650 pigs and lacked 400 pigs compared to the declaration, and it made a record for the actual quantity and spoke to the Department of Animal Health for handling violations according to regulations.

Based on the quarantine results, the Branch of Animal Health of Region II issued a Quarantine Certificate for 650 imported pigs under the above declaration.

On January 29, 2021, the working team of Cha Lo Borde Gate Customs Branch worked with a representative of the company.

Chu Trong Dung, Chairman of the Board of Members cum General Director of the company admitted that the company has consumed all of these pigs.

Therefore, the company did not comply with the provisions of Clause 2, Article 35 of the Law on Customs in 2014, the company consumed 1,050 live pigs which have not completed customs clearance.

The company imported 1,050 live pigs, however, the company only submitted the quarantine certificate for 650 imported live pigs.

For the remaining 400 live pigs, the company sold them to the local people and on the market without quarantine certificates.

Thus, the company imported goods subject to specialised inspection without notification of specialised inspection for 400 live pigs.

As reported by the Customs News, on February 5, Cha Lo Customs Branch under Quang Binh Customs Department, issued a decision to prosecute a criminal case against the Bac-Trung- Nam Company for consuming 400 imported pigs subject to specialised inspection.

Specifically, Bac-Trung- Nam Investment Consultants and Development Company Limited (located at 83b building, Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi) voluntarily consumed 400 imported pigs subject to specialised inspection, the total value of infringing goods is more than VND 2.8 billion (according to the result of asset valuation No.3 of the Council of Asset Valuation in the criminal proceedings of Minh Hoa district, Quang Binh).

The violation of Bac-Trung-Nam Company had signs of trading banned goods as prescribed in Article 190 of the Criminal Code.

Cha Lo Customs Branch transferred the case record to the Investigation Police Agency, Minh Hoa District for investigation and handling.