Implementing the directions of the Government and the Ministry of Finance on strengthening the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods, the Anti-smuggling Investigation Department - Customs Department has discovered and clarified serious violations of VN Import-Export Company Limited (registered for business in Thai Binh province) operating in the field of food export production.
This enterprise is exempt from import tax for input materials ( frozen chicken feet have not been removed), provided that the complete product is exported and reported in accordance with regulations.
However, the investigation results show that businesses have taken advantage of this preferential policy to carry out acts of selling goods in a fake manner, defrauding the quantity of finished products to evade taxes and show signs of domestic consumption.
On March 11, 2025, the authorities, including Team 1 - Anti-smuggling Investigation Department, coordinated with Hai Phong City Police and related units to inspect the actual situation of 13 containers belonging to 7 customs declarations of VN Import-Export Company Limited at Nam Dinh Vu Port (Hai Phong). The goods were frozen chicken feet that had been peeled off and cleaned, with a total weight of 377,000kg, worth more than 28 billion VND. However, the actual inspection showed that only 49,000kg of the right type was; the rest were uncted chicken feet - about 328,000kg.
According to calculations, to produce the quantity of finished products that have been declared lacking, the enterprise needs about 1,400 tons of raw materials equivalent to VND 36 billion. If not discovered, the enterprise would have evaded import tax with an amount of more than 7 billion VND.
The investigation process shows that businesses use many sophisticated tricks to deceive authorities, such as: lining up at the head of the container, leaving it behind; taking advantage of green division declarations, packing goods close to train running hours to avoid being inspected; deliberately reporting false information about the volume and type to legalize input material settlement data.
VN Import-Export Company Limited also showed signs of not cooperating with the authorities: delaying in presenting goods, changing legal representatives after being discovered, related subjects avoiding work and not providing documents for investigation.
Based on signs of violations, the Anti-smuggling Investigation Department has agreed with Department 3 - Supreme People's Procuracy to prosecute a criminal case for the crime of "smuggling" under Article 188 of the Penal Code. The case file is being transferred to the investigation police agency for further handling according to their authority.
