Binh Duong Customs strengthen scanning of goods through container scanning machine in the peak period of Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: T.D

Quick cargo clearance

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the production and business activities of enterprises. Some enterprises faced difficulties, leading to stagnation in production activities, leading to a sharp decrease in import-export turnover.

To ensure cargo clearance of enterprises during the pandemic, Binh Duong Customs has strengthened guidance on customs procedures through channels such as: phone, email, apps and the website to handle problems within three working hours from the date of receipt of information.

Mr. Onuma Minonu, Head of the Japanese business group in Binh Duong, said that during the peak months of the pandemic, Binh Duong Customs quickly developed scenarios and plans to accompany and support businesses to overcome difficulties, facilitate production and business activities of the enterprises. Thanks to the regular assistance of Binh Duong Customs Department in particular and the local government in general that helped businesses feel secure in production and continue to invest in the area.

Modernization and business facilitation continued to be promoted by Binh Duong Customs Department through scanning goods with two mobile container scanning machines located at the Customs Branch outside the Industrial Park and Song Than Customs Branch.

Deputy head of Customs Enforcement Team, in charge of container scanning machine Nguyen Huu Phuc said that as of October 26, 2021, the unit had conducted scanning for over 13,000 containers belonging to over 6,000 import and export declarations. Through scanning, it has speeded up the clearance of import and export goods, and minimized direct contact between customs officers and customs declarants, ensuring pandemic prevention.

Besides facilitating import-export activities of enterprises, the implementation of scanning goods through the container scanning machine has also helped Customs authorities improve the ability to detect infringing goods. As a result, it has contributed to preventing and deterring fraudulent acts in import-export activities and violations of customs laws.

Specifically, through the screening images, the Customs authority also discovered 16 cases of administrative violations. This information on suspicious goods would be transferred to the customs unit where the enterprise opened declarations for inspections following the regulations. The total amount of monetary penalty for violations and tax arrears through screening is over VND797 million.

Promote the effectiveness of online supervision

Notably, following the direction of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Binh Duong Customs Department has effectively implemented online supervision at the unit.

Since the time the General Department of Vietnam Customs issued the Regulation on duty since July 2019, the duty officer of Binh Duong Customs Department has created on the on-duty management system more than 130 messages and transferred to the Customs Branch for processing.

Besides that, the duty officer of Binh Duong Customs Department also received and coordinated to process information from the duty officer of General Department of Vietnam Customs. Through reports from the duty room of the General Department of Vietnam Customs and Binh Duong Customs Department, Customs Branches promptly detected and prevented a number of violations which were mainly incorrect declaration of goods names, codes.

Binh Duong Customs Department has collected more than VND440 million, avoiding tax loss for the state budget.

In addition, through the GPS seal system, duty officer of Binh Duong Customs Department coordinated with Customs Branch to supervise more than 860 GPS seals, ensuring that the goods are transported and supervised with the regulations of customs authority.

The duty room has contributed to improving the effectiveness of the fight against smuggling and trade fraud and improving the compliance of enterprises. For the Customs authority, it has contributed to improving the capacity and efficiency in customs management, accelerating the implementation of administrative reform, modernizing customs, and changing the management method from paper inspection and manual supervision to modern management and inspection based on information technology systems. It also improves discipline for customs officers when performing their duties.

Currently, although the Covid-19 pandemic has been gradually controlled, the domestic economy and import-export business activities and goods production in Binh Duong are gradually recovering, Binh Duong Customs Department said that it would still continue to implement solutions; promote administrative reform, customs procedures in the direction of electronification, towards electronic customs, in line with international standards.

On the other hand, in order to support enterprises to focus on restoring production, Binh Duong Customs Department has decided to suspend the inspection of enterprises following the plan and direction of General Department of Vietnam Customs, creating conditions for businesses to focus on solve difficulties, maintain production and business activities.