Although smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the Mong Cai border has been controlled, traders are trying to bring banned goods into Vietnam.

More than 25,000 cosmetic products and electronic cigarettes
in Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province are destroyed. Photo: Nguyen Thanh

77% increase in violations

According to the Steering Committee 389 of Mong Cai City, authorities (Customs, Border Guard, Market Surveillance, Police) in the area has maintained patrols, control, prevention and handling of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border, controlling the activities of traders. Warehouses and gathering points for smuggled and counterfeit goods in ​​markets and business shops in the area no longer operate as previously.

For example, at customs checkpoints and bonded warehouses in Mong Cai city, Mong Cai border gate Customs Branch (Quang Ninh Customs Department) has implemented customs procedures; strengthened inspection and close supervision of import and export goods, goods temporarily imported for re-export, goods in bonded warehouses, means and passengers on entry and exit to avoid taking advantage of openness in e-customs procedures, international trade regimes and policies for border residents for smuggling and illegal transportation of goods, trade fraud, counterfeiting and infringement of intellectual property, origin fraud and illicit transshipment through border gates.

As a result, in May alone, the authorities settled 39 cases and 37 offenders, with an estimated value of VND2.36 billion, up 77% in number of cases and 254% in value year-on-year. The tricks of the smugglers are still taking advantage of loopholes of the authorities, taking advantage of the weather, night time, and complicated geographical location for smuggling and illicit trade. Common infringing items include cosmetics, clothing, food, consumer goods, aquaculture, fishing, seafood, and poultry products.

On May 18, more than 17,000 products of lip balm, nail polish, bleaching patches were seized by Customs Enforcement Team No. 1, Quang Ninh Customs Department in Mong Cai City. All of the cosmetics had no documents to prove their legal origin and were illegally imported from China and brought to the domestic market to be consumed.

Previously, on April 15, the Market Surveillance Team No. 1 (Quang Ninh Department of Market Surveillance) seized 612 bottles of fake Burberry nail polish and 1,911 nail products stored in a warehouse of Hoang Thi Thuy (addressed at Mong Cai Plaza Trade Centre, Tran Phu Ward, Mong Cai City).

Do not let hotspots be established

The Steering Committee 389 of Mong Cai city forecast that, in some places far from central Mong Cai city, such as Binh Ngoc, Tra Co, Hai Hoa, Bac Son, Hai Son communes, smugglers have abused night mountainous geography, sea areas with many channels to illegally transport goods such as ready-made clothes, electronics, household appliances and goods infringing intellectual property. Thus, the authorities have strengthened strict control over the entire border line; and prevented, arrested and promptly handled illegal entry and exit, smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across the border. Accordingly, authorities have carried out professional measures to manage and control the assigned areas well, paid attention to information about key areas, key products and key methods and tricks of smugglers to prevent the establishment of hotspots for smuggling.

They have also organised patrols, controls and tightened management along the border, stepped up collection of information to promptly detect, prevent, seize and handle strictly acts of ship-to-ship transfer and illicit transshipment of goods at sea. In addition, enhanced communication and publicised laws to help businesses and people, especially in key, complex, remote, border and island areas understand and comply with the law and understand the harmful effects of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods so they will not give help smugglers, not buy and use smuggled and fake goods; and participate in the denunciation of crimes.

The Steering Committee 389 of Mong Cai City has focused on strengthening discipline and public service discipline; and strengthened unexpected inspections to detect and treat officers who lack the sense of responsibility, loose management, show signs of tolerance, protection and support of acts of smuggling, trade fraud, illegal cross-border transportation of goods and production and trade in fake goods.

By the end of May 14, authorities in Mong Cai city had handled 200 cases and 191 offenders, with an estimated value of VND 4,872.06 million, up 1.5% in the number of cases and down 36% in value year-on-year.

Of which, there are 155 cases of illicit trade, transportation and gathering of banned goods, 33 cases of trade fraud, tax fraud and 12 cases of production, business, trade in fake goods and goods infringing intellectual property.