Customs strengthens inspection and handling of violations in the import of used machinery

According to information from the Customs Department, on April 19, 2019, the Prime Minister issued Decision 18/2019/QD-TTg regulating the import of used machinery, equipment and technological lines. The regulation clearly states that only used machinery that directly serves the production activities of enterprises is allowed to be imported, ensuring technological quality and limiting the risk of bringing outdated equipment into Vietnam.

Customs will strictly control the import of used machinery. Photo: Internet

Implementing this decision, the Customs Department has issued many documents guiding the branches on documents, procedures, and inspection procedures from the stage of receiving, checking documents, checking actual goods, bringing goods to storage, collecting information, and assessing risks. The goal is to facilitate businesses while still strictly controlling the import of used machinery.

However, by 2025, through understanding the local situation, the Customs authority realized that the import of this group of goods had many potential risks. The Anti-smuggling Investigation Department inspected and verified a number of businesses and discovered many serious violations.

Many businesses do not have factories or production facilities but still falsely declare the purpose of use on declarations; make false commitments; and even create fake import authorization contracts to get customs clearance. After the goods enter the country, these units sell them commercially to make illegal profits.

Investigation results show that in the period 2021-2025, a business opened 19 import declarations for 325 used machines with a declared value of more than 18 billion VND. After customs clearance, 235 machines were resold to 140 businesses with a total value of more than 23 billion VND, bringing in an illegal profit of more than 8 billion VND. Another business in 2025 opened three import declarations for 48 machines worth 4.4 billion VND and then resold them to 13 businesses, earning a profit of nearly 600 million VND.

Faced with signs of crime, the Anti-smuggling Investigation Department coordinated with the Supreme People's Procuracy (Department 3) to handle the case according to regulations. Up to now, the Customs agency has issued two decisions to prosecute the criminal case of Smuggling under Article 188 of the 2015 Penal Code against the two above enterprises.

These cases show that the policy of importing used machinery is increasingly sophisticated, distorting the State's goals. Importing machinery for the wrong purpose not only causes budget loss and unfair competition, but also poses the risk of bringing outdated, energy-consuming equipment into Vietnam, threatening the environment and increasing the risk of turning Vietnam into a place to consume discarded machinery.

In the coming time, to prevent the above situation, the Customs Department said it will continue to direct its subordinate units to strengthen inspection, supervision, information collection and risk assessment at all stages. The work of checking documents, checking actual goods, managing goods brought back for storage, customs clearance and post-clearance inspection will be tightened, especially for enterprises importing used machinery, equipment and technological lines.

Comment (0)