Close cooperation combating smuggling and trade frauds

In recent years, although inspection and control has been implemented continuously, local authorities have not achieved high effectiveness, because of thin forces, sophisticated disguise of goods. Therefore, the cooperation with neighboring provinces in market management is very important. That was the common perception of Market Management Departments of southern provinces at the preliminary summarizing conference for the first 6 months.

Lack of close cooperation

Binh Duong province is considered as a transit point for goods via road, waterway, and railway, thus smuggling, trade fraud here are complicated. Goods in large numbers transported by rail from the North to the South are usually assembled at Song Than station in Di An town before distributing to HCM City, and other provinces.

Provincial Market Management Department destroyed smuggled cigarettes.

According to Mr. Tran Van Tung, Deputy Director of provincial Market Management, trading, transporting of smuggled goods from other provinces to Binh Duong is increasing. Namely, in January 2015, Market Management Squad 8 in collaboration with provincial Police Department detected 2,000 smuggled set-top boxes without invoices on North – South train at Song Than station. Until May 2015, provincial authorities detected and seized 3,390 imported automobile parts without invoices on North – South trains. 

According to leaders of some Market Management Departments, smuggling has been complicated, especially at bordering areas, but the coordination in inspection and control between provinces is not effective. Mr. Chau Thanh Long, Deputy Head of Tay Ninh province Market Management Department, said, in the first 6 months of 2015, only Market Management Departments of Tay Ninh province, HCM City, and Long An province cooperated to inspect 6 cases at bordering areas gathering many smuggled goods, for example, smuggled cigarettes, sugar transported to Binh Duong through Binh Phuoc province, and the bordering area between Duong Minh Chau district (Tay Ninh) and Dau Tieng district (Binh Duong).

In addition, information exchange about subjects transporting smuggled goods has been limited. According to Mr. Tran Trong Ky, Deputy Director of Dong Nai province Market Management Department, during the last Lunar New Year, Binh Duong detected that workers received Tet gifts having fake Knorr powder. Because information exchange between Departments of Binh Duong and Dong Nai was not effective, as inspecting, the business supplying fake Knorr powder had promptly dispersed these goods. Dong Nai province Market Management Department sanctioned just over 1 ton of fake Knorr powder.

Strengthening coordination

To improve effectiveness of smuggling, trade fraud combating, southern provinces’ Market Management Departments agreed to step up the inspection and control at bordering areas; coordinate to collect evidences, information ensuring a legal basis when necessary; cooperate with traffic police to stop vehicles transporting prohibited goods.

Mr. Tran Trong Ky said, enhancement of coordination, evidence collecting would facilitate market control. Mr. Do Huu Quang, Deputy Director, Head of Representative Office of Market Management Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) at HCM City, said, smuggling combating of southern provinces in the first 6 month achieved positive results, detected and handled timely violations. Inspection coordination and information exchange will help detecting, handling new violations, preventing illegal good dispersal.  

“In the future, Market Management Department will counsel Ministry of Industry and Trade to amend some inappropriate legal documents, heighten jurisdiction of Market Management Department, adjust the level of support for officials…”, said Mr. Quang.

Reported by H.Pham – Translated by Ngoc Huynh