Ho Chi Minh City: Customs prevents smuggling of more than 253,000 packs of cigarettes

The quantity of undeclared exported cigarettes of An Khang Transport Service Trading Import Export Company Limited was 253,140 packs, with a total value of nearly 5.9 billion VND.

A cigarette smuggling case was seized. (Source: VNA)

On May 7, the Customs Branch of Region 2 informed about the discovery and prevention of an export enterprise smuggling more than 253,000 packs of cigarettes.

Specifically, in the process of handling customs procedures for exported goods and by professional measures, the Saigon Port Customs Team Area 1 (Cat Lai Port Customs) in coordination with the Customs Control Team of the Customs Sub-Department Area 2, the Anti-smuggling Control Team No. 3 (Anti-smuggling Investigation Sub-Department) and the Nha Rong Border Guard Station - Ho Chi Minh City Port Border Guard discovered that An Khang Transport Service Trading Import-Export Company Limited (address: Ward 7, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City) had signs of the crime of "Smuggling" as prescribed in Article 188 of the Penal Code.

An Khang Transport Service Trading Import Export Company Limited registered 2 export declarations No. 307257237360/B11 dated March 27, 2025 and No. 307272010530/B11 dated April 1, 2025.

Declaration No. 307257237360/B11, An Khang Company registered to export six types of goods including shoe changing chairs, sofas, foldable beds, indoor rubber slippers, coffee tables, and ceramic toilets.

All goods declared as originating from Vietnam, weight 5,543kg; the importer of the goods is Venture Freight Australia Pty Ltd (Australia); the goods are contained in container number CSNU7148670.

The declaration is classified by the system as yellow and transferred for physical inspection of goods.

On April 3, 2025, customs officers conducted a physical inspection using manual methods, combined with the use of sniffer dogs; recorded that in addition to the goods in accordance with the enterprise's declaration, there were also undeclared goods, which were exported cigarettes.

The specific quantity is 11,949 boxes (10 bags/box) equivalent to 119,490 bags. The value of the infringing goods is determined to be nearly 3.4 billion VND.

With customs declaration number 307272010530/B11, An Khang Transport Service Trading Import Export Company Limited registered to export five items: Viglacera glazed floor tiles, sofa, foldable bed, sofa dust cover, metal wardrobe; goods of Vietnamese origin; weight 5,437kg; the importer of the goods is Worldwise Trading (Malaysia); goods contained in container number TRHU8133890.

This declaration is also classified by the yellow channel system and transferred for physical inspection of goods.

On April 9, 2025, customs officers conducted an inspection of the exported goods in the above declaration using manual methods combined with the use of sniffer dogs.

The actual inspection results recorded that in addition to the goods in accordance with the enterprise's declaration, there were also undeclared goods of exported cigarettes; the specific quantity was 13,365 boxes (10 packs/box) equivalent to 133,650 packs. The value of the infringing goods was determined to be more than 2.5 billion VND.

Thus, the statistics of the quantity of exported cigarettes not declared in the two declarations No. 307257237360/B11 and No. 307272010530/B11 are 25,314 boxes (10 packs/box) equivalent to 253,140 packs. The total value of the infringing goods is determined to be nearly 5.9 billion VND.

Considering that cigarettes are conditionally exported goods (must have legal origin and must have a license from a competent authority), but the exporter does not have one.

Therefore, the actions of An Khang Transport Service Trading Import-Export Company Limited have sufficient elements to constitute the crime of smuggling, as prescribed in Article 188 of the 2015 Penal Code (amended and supplemented in 2017).

Saigon Port Customs Area 1 has issued a decision to prosecute a criminal case of smuggling by An Khang Transport Service Trading Import-Export Company Limited, occurring at Cat Lai Port; transferring the case file to the Investigation Police Agency - Ho Chi Minh City Police for investigation and handling according to authority.

The representative of the Customs Branch of Region 2 said that the situation of smuggling and trade fraud in the management area has recently become complicated with sophisticated tricks, with the emergence of many new forms of fraud such as origin fraud, counterfeiting of trademarks, infringement of intellectual property rights, taking advantage of processing activities, export production, transit, and transshipment business to avoid trade defense measures and economic protection, and illegal transportation of goods.

The Customs Branch of Region 2 must strengthen control and combat smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods to ensure a fair and healthy trade environment./.

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/tp-ho-chi-minh-hai-quan-ngan-chan-vu-buon-lau-hon-253-000-bao-thuoc-la-1018631.html