Confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes will be auctioned?

The above proposal was made in the draft Decision regulating the destruction and pilot auction of confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes drafted by the Ministry of Finance.

According to the draft, before auctioning, smuggled foreign cigarettes must be sampled and sent to an agency or organization with the function of analysis and testing designated by a competent State agency to analyze the samples according to the requirements of regulations, standards or food safety regulations as prescribed to assess the quality as a basis for applying destruction measures or allowing auction for domestic consumption or export.

The auction of confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes that are still of good quality must be conducted at the Asset Auction Service Center established by the People's Committee of the province or city. After completing the auction procedure, the winning enterprise is allowed to choose whether to sell the confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes that are still of good quality for domestic consumption or export.

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Smuggled cigarettes were seized and confiscated. Photo: Internet

Confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes of good quality must complete procedures for domestic consumption or export within 90 days and no more than 120 days in case of extension from the date of winning the auction. The People's Committee of the province or city where the auction is held shall consider the extension in this case. The extension period shall not exceed 30 days from the date of expiry of the above 90-day period.

The draft clearly states the requirements for confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes before being transferred to domestic consumption as follows: 1- Must be stamped with auction symbols before being put into circulation on the market according to regulations of the Ministry of Finance; 2- Must label goods, label tobacco products consumed in Vietnam and print health warnings on cigarette packaging according to regulations of the Ministry of Health; 3- Must comply with current legal regulations on declaration of conformity, conformity or declaration of compliance with food safety regulations; check the quality, hygiene and safety and the content of toxic substances in cigarettes as for domestically produced cigarette products.

According to the draft, the procedures for exporting confiscated, quality foreign cigarettes after winning the auction shall comply with the provisions of the customs law. Exports shall only be allowed through international border gates (including railway, waterway, sea and air border gates) and main border gates; export by road and to countries sharing a common land border are not allowed.

The draft clearly states that the total amount of smuggled foreign cigarettes confiscated for domestic consumption must be included in the total tobacco production and import output of the entire industry according to regulations on conditions for tobacco production and trading.

The selling price of confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes on the market is implemented according to the guidance of the Ministry of Finance. The management and use of the proceeds from the auction of confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes to serve the work of monitoring, managing and combating cigarette smuggling is implemented according to current regulations.

* Conditions for participation in auction

According to the draft, enterprises participating in the auction for domestic consumption or export must have one of the following types of licenses: Tobacco product manufacturing license or Tobacco product distribution license or Tobacco product wholesale license as prescribed. At the same time, they must be enterprises that have participated in tobacco export and import activities.

Enterprises participating in the auction of confiscated smuggled foreign cigarettes must meet the conditions for auction participants according to the provisions of the law on property auctions.

The draft also clearly states that if an enterprise that wins the auction after the above-mentioned deadline has not yet put it into domestic consumption or has not completed export procedures, it must report to the People's Committee of the province or city to carry out destruction according to regulations. In case of winning the auction for export, it must ensure that the goods are actually exported out of Vietnam according to regulations and must be responsible before the law if the exported goods are smuggled into Vietnam.

According to Tue Van/chinhphu.vn