Cau Treo border gate (Ha Tinh) is considered a “hot spot” of crimes of drugs and electrical products. At the end of the year, smuggling and illegal transportation and trade fraud are forecast to increase. To prevent these problems, Cau Treo international border gate customs branch (Ha Tinh Customs Department) plans to work with other competent forces in the area to control and prevent banned and illegal goods entering inland.

Cau Treo Customs works with other competent forces to strictly control vehicles
carrying goods through the area to identify fraud. Photo: The Manh 

Cleared goods increase

Le Dung, Manager of Cau Treo international border gate customs branch, said Cau Treo border gate received about 200 vehicles on entry and exit per day on average. From the beginning of December, the number of vehicles across this border gate increased by 10%. Goods transported in this period were mainly ore and building materials in transit due to the high increase in construction demand at the end of the year. In addition, there were consumer goods like confectionery, household electrical appliances, fruits and medical masks for the New Year season.

As of November 30, the branch processed 5,671 sets of declarations for 379 enterprises with total turnover of US$ 232.16 million. Both the number of import-export declarations and turnover through this area saw a year-on-year increase. As of December 7, the branch collected VND 160.8 billion, 105% of the assigned target .

The representative of Cau Treo international border gate customs branch said amid the Covid-19 pandemic, import and export and entry and exit activities were facilitated most by open policies. Thus, many traders took advantage of this loophole to make wrongful declarations of name, code, number, weight, price and origin of goods for trade fraud.

The Lunar New Year 2021 is approaching and is the time when many employees from Laos and Thailand return home for Tet. Therefore, control of smuggled goods, drugs, firecrackers and fireworks hidden in passenger buses and cars will be difficult, said Le Dung.

Strictly control vehicles and goods

Ha Tinh-Bolikhamxay (Laos) border is always a route that is directly affected by production and trading of drug substances from the “Golden Triangle” and Electronic refrigeration products from Thailand. The subjects often use tricks to tear up shipments, hide them in reinforced bottom and bulkhead of passenger buses, trucks and cars for transportation.

According to Le Dung, to strictly control the situation of this criminal activity, the branch has closely followed plans and seriously implemented directions of the superiors; strengthened inspection, supervision and control of all import and export shipments, means of transport as well as luggage of passengers on entry and exit; arranged officers on duty 24/7 hours to patrol, control, investigate and grasp the situation on both sides of the border gate; enhanced screening through luggage scanners and used sniffing dogs to detect drugs.

The branch always works with other competent forces such as the Border Guard, the Police, the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Customs) to promote information exchange and close coordination to fight and prevent contraband and counterfeit goods on Cau Treo border route and worked to create synergy to prevent and repel drug crimes.

Cau Treo international border gate customs branch has arranged an outside patrol team of 10 officers to control the area. This team performs 24 hour motorbike patrol on the border crossings and civilian roads on both sides of the border gate to promptly detect and fight violations. Moreover, Cau Treo customs branch has requested all customs officers control vehicles to identify and prevent violations in a timely manner.

The branch has developed and carried out action plans for the peak period of fight against smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and illegal cross-border transportation of goods before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2021.

"After Decree 137/2020 / ND-CP on the management and use of firecrackers was issued on November 27, many people mistakenly thought they were allowed to use firecrackers. However, in fact, this decree only specifies the former decree and still forbids the use of firecrackers. To control the situation, Cau Treo customs has publicised information and encourage people and enterprises to comply with the law when they carry out customs procedures,” Dung emphasised.

From the beginning of the year up to now, Cau Treo international border gate customs branch handled one smuggling case and 13 illegal transportation cases and 49 cases of violation of customs procedures. The seized goods were medical masks, firecrackers, auto parts of all kinds, wood, and pangolin scales. In addition, the branch presided over and coordinated with other forces to tackle 12 drug transport cases. Accordingly, 82,691 amphetamine pills, 60 kgs of synthetic drug powder, 15 kgs of cannabis, 93 kgs of methamphetamine and 5 kgs of ketamine were seized.