Prevent commercial fraud in customs declaration

Risk Management Department - General Administration of Customs recently informs that during the analysis and assert process of customs operations, the specialized risk management team of Customs Department has discovered many enterprises (companies) trying to cancel, modify the declaration.

Including many companies that has cancelled, modified the declaration several times to evade the ramification (Green-Yellow-Red), take advance of trade fraud.

Since the end of February 2016 to July 2016, the customs forces discovered 600 businesses destroy their declarations and 800 businesses recorrect declarations each month. After analyzing, the forces discovered over 200 enterprises taking advantage of the cancellation, correction declaration for smuggling, trade fraud purpose.

Customs officers guiding enterprises to improve self-compliance
Customs officers guiding enterprises to improve self-compliance

In particular, companies take advantage of additional declaration forms to fraud about Chinese ceramic tiles import activities. The companies report a smaller numbers than the actual numbers of imported tiles showing in initial declaration according to form A11. 

After the declaration was broken down for goods inspection, the companies changed declaration to increase the amount of tiles by declaring additional new declarations according to type H11 (declared container and bill following the original declaration A11) to avoid any handling of violations related to customs and tax sanction.

According to the representative of the Risk Management Department, any supplementary declaration cases have been clarified in Circular No. 38/2015 / TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance. But the fact is there are many businesses take advantage of the additional declarations to avoid goods examination, facilitate smuggling, trade fraud actions.

Besides, most of the goods which were cancelled or corrected in declaration are usually conditional import business, with high tax rates, large turnover like ceramic tiles, wood, stone powder ... and all are at risk of violations , which focuses on the local flow of goods such as TP. Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Lang Son ...

To prevent this situation, the Risk Management Department issued a warning note to local customs requiring them to make a list of key enterprises to implement risk control measures. On the other hand, the customs also works with inspection forces to protest, collect tax and return them back to State Bank. 

Customs inspects a shipment at the warehouse.
Customs inspects a shipment at the warehouse.

At the same time, with some businesses that have signs of violation, the custom also send the list to specialized force to report about smuggling situations. 

At the same time, the Department of Risk Management also proposes to Ministry of Finance to modify some existing regulations. In particular, they suggested to amend the Circular No. 38 to only allow business complete additional declaration before the flow switching moment. 

General Administration of Customs recommended local Customs Department based on the list of businesses which have cancel declarations to process definite actions with any declarations that miss customs procedures deadlines but has not been canceled under the provisions or release goods which has not been updated on the system.

Simultaneously, province and city Customs Department have to run regularly check the receipt for registration and customs procedures in order to discovery, correct and timely handle any irresponsible officer.

Also, it is required to classify and notify businesses about the effect of  the declarations cancellation; support and guide businesses to improve compliance.

Phan Duc

Other News

SBV raises short-term capital lending cap to 40%

SBV raises short-term capital lending cap to 40%

The new circular will help credit institutions have more room to provide capital to businesses and investment projects to support high economic growth in the next few years, while increasing flexibility in the SBV’s monetary policy management.

Business confidence in Vietnam rebounds strongly: UOB

Business confidence in Vietnam rebounds strongly: UOB

The study found that 85% of Vietnamese enterprises reported positive business sentiment, a sharp increase from 48% in 2025, when business confidence was weighed down by uncertainties surrounding US tariff policies and related trade developments.

Bac Ninh seeks high-quality foreign investment for sustainable growth

Bac Ninh seeks high-quality foreign investment for sustainable growth

According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Van Thinh, the province aims to maintain stable and sustainable growth, improve the competitiveness of both the economy and local businesses, and make better use of free trade agreements (FTAs) to expand and diversify export markets.

Green building trend flourishes in Ho Chi Minh City's real estate landscape

Green building trend flourishes in Ho Chi Minh City's real estate landscape

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) highlighted the city's dominance in green-certified building floor space in Vietnam, reflecting the rapid expansion of the green building market with 780 completed green buildings encompassing over 18.69 million sq.m by 2025, predominantly certified by EDGE and LEED.

UK supports Vietnam in wind power and green finance development

UK supports Vietnam in wind power and green finance development

The United Kingdom officially announced two new climate cooperation initiatives to support Vietnam in its energy transition and green growth journey. These programs focus on offshore wind power development and the creation of a sustainable green financial ecosystem.

Ample room remains for Vietnam–India logistics cooperation

Ample room remains for Vietnam–India logistics cooperation

The GTTCI expert noted that alongside logistics and integrated warehousing, e-commerce is expected to be a particularly high-growth sector in the coming years. He described it as a multi-billion-dollar market with significant untapped opportunities for cooperation between Vietnam and India.

Exports gain momentum from high-tech growth drivers

Exports gain momentum from high-tech growth drivers

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam’s exports reached 215.66 billion USD in the first five months of 2026, up 19.5% year-on-year. Twenty-six export items generated more than 1 billion USD in revenue each, including seven with turnover exceeding 10 billion USD.

Vietnam–China crossings see spike in ASEAN fresh produce

Vietnam–China crossings see spike in ASEAN fresh produce

Since the start of the summer harvest season, China's two major border gates with Vietnam, Youyi Guan in Pingxiang and Beilun 2 Bridge in Dongxing, have entered their peak period for handling imports of fresh agricultural and seafood products from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Cargo handling operations at Berths 3 and 4 of the Hai Phong International Gateway Port. (Photo: VNA)

AI reshapes logistics, raising bar for workforce skills

According to the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA), the logistics sector will require around 2.2 million workers by 2030, including 1.6 million employees for logistics service providers and nearly 600,000 personnel supporting logistics operations in manufacturing and trading enterprises.

Robust dispute resolution framework key to Vietnam's IFC ambitions

Robust dispute resolution framework key to Vietnam's IFC ambitions

The development strategy for VIFC-HCMC envisions a comprehensive financial ecosystem encompassing green finance, carbon credits, financial technology (fintech), blockchain technology, digital assets, digital banking and other innovative business models. These highly internationalised sectors involve complex cross-border transactions and sophisticated legal structures.