Customs has seized a shipment of precious wood from seven containers worth tens of billions of VND at La Lay border gate, Quang Tri province, Customs authorities announced on Monday.

Customs and Border Guard forces inspect wood in containers.

Lay Lay Border Gate Customs Branch (under Quang Tri Customs Department) worked with the Central Anti-smuggling Enforcement Unit (under the General Department of Vietnam Customs), Quang Tri Border Guard and the Department of Drugs Prevention and Control under Border Guard to seize the infringing goods

On August 19, Lay Lay Border Gate Customs Branch issued seven decisions to inspect seven vehicles of An Tran Import and Export Co., Ltd.

On August 20, the branch issued Dispatch 442/HQLL-NV to call Lay Lay International Border Guard Station for coordination in inspection.

Through inspection, authorities detected seven container trucks carrying about 450m3 wood worth more than VND29 billion. An Tran Import and Export Co., Ltd falsely declared more than 84m3 of wood and some 77 m3 of precious wood compared with the import declaration.

In addition, authorities discovered nearly 11,000kg of chalk without import declarations, worth nearly VND6 billion.

Notably, the smugglers designed partitions on the trucks to hide goods to evade detection by competent forces.