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| Pig imports at Lao Bao Border Gate. Photo: Lao Bao Border Gate Customs Branch. |
In January 2021, three companies, including Hiep Hoang Phat Construction and Trading Company Limited (located in Cam Lo District, Quang Tri province), Thang Loi Agricultural and General Business Service Cooperative (in Dai Loc district, Quang Nam province) and LB Phu Trong One Member Limited Company (in Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province), carried out procedures to import live pigs for meat from Thailand to Vietnam.
When these companies carried out procedures to import the shipments, the Lao Bao Animal Quarantine Station and Lao Bao Border Gate Customs Branch processed procedures and allowed them to bring goods to quarantine sites and wait for the completion of customs clearance procedures.
However, the Lao Bao identified that all these companies did not transport the pigs to the quarantine sites and sold them.
Hiep Hoang Phat Construction and Trading Company Limited imported 4,485 pigs worth more than VND32 billion.
Thang Loi Agricultural and General Business Service Cooperative imported 92 live pigs worth about VND660 million.
LB Phu Trong One Member Limited Company imported 170 live pigs worth VND1.2 billion.
These companies violated regulations on foreign trade management and customs procedures and supervision.
Thebranch issued decisions on criminal prosecution for smuggling by these companies as per Article 188 of the Penal Code.
The decisions were approved by the People’s Procuracy of Huong Hoa district and transferred to the Quang Tri Investigation Police Department for investigation.
Earlier, Customs News reported that the branch issued decisions on criminal prosecution for Vinh Phu and Dai Phong Companies for consuming the unquarantined imported live pigs worth tens of billions of VND.
In January, Vinh Phu Company carried out customs procedures to import three shipments including 3,060 live pigs weighing 90 -120 kg/pig from Thailand to Vietnam via the Lao Bao Border Gate Customs Branch.
The branch allowed Vinh Phu Company to transport these pigs to two quarantine sites. Of which, 1,020 pigs were transported to Nghe An province and 2,040 pigs to Thai Nguyen province.
On February 22, Lao Bao Border Gate Customs Branch received Dispatch 101 of the department of Animal Health Region II on providing information of three shipments including 2,040 pigs that were fined by the department for failing to bring goods to the quarantine site and failing to make quarantine declarations when importing animals.
On March 15, the local branch made a report on administrative violations for Vinh Phu Company.
According to the local branch, Vinh Phu Company imported 2,040 live pigs subject to specialized inspection but failed to implement quarantine and consumed these pigs when it had not yet completed customs procedures. Therefore, the company violated the Law on Foreign Trade Management, the Law on Customs, and the Law on Veterinary Medicine.
The imported live pigs must be quarantined and the goods owner is allowed to bring goods to the registered storage site for quarantine.
Goods must be under customs control until customs receives the notification on quarantine results to issue a decision on customs clearance.
The time limit for the company to submit the quarantine result is within 30 days from the date of taking goods to the warehouse for storage.
The Asset Valuation Council in the criminal proceedings of Huong Hoa district concluded that the value of the infringing goods was more than VND16.8 billion.
Similarly, on June 28, the Lao Bao Border Gate Customs Branch issued a decision to prosecute a criminal case against Dai Phong Investment and Trading Co., Ltd.
Specifically, the company imported live pigs subject to animal quarantine but it failed to implement quarantine for 720 imported live pigs, which violated the Law on Foreign Trade Management, the Law on Customs, and the Law on Veterinary Medicine.
On May 27, 2021, the Council concluded that the value of the infringing goods was more than VND5.2 billion.
Recently, the GDVC has asked the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development to approve isolation sites for goods waiting for quarantine results at the entry border gate to prevent Covid-19 infection and facilitate the supervision for imported live animals. Accordingly, the country’s top customs department has proposed the ministry to unify the method of granting quarantine results of imported live animals to the subordinate units such as notifying the results on the National Single Window for all shipments to closely control imports and prevent the consumption of goods while waiting for the results. The GDVC has also proposed the ministry to revise regulations on handling administrative violations in veterinary medicine to minimize violations of enterprises during the transportation of goods to the preservation and quarantine sites; provide information related to agencies performing the assessment of animal species, genes, breeds and ages, for verification and investigation. |