China's anti-smuggling situation remains severe as smuggling techniques become increasingly sophisticated, but tariff losses caused by smuggling have continued to fall thanks to the continuous large-scale crackdown in recent years.
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Customs and police departments have prosecuted more than 90,000 smuggling cases involving goods worth 200 billion yuan (US$24.2 billion) over the past five years, during which China has brought large-scale smuggling under control, said Sheng Guangzu, deputy director of the General Administration of Customs (GAC) at a press conference.
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Statistics indicated that the customs anti-smuggling police had punished 18,046 smuggling suspects, among whom 9,719 were transferred to the procuratorial departments.
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Large-scale smuggling of key sensitive goods, such as automobiles, motorcycles, finished oil products, cigarettes and light-sensitive materials was were being brought under control, Sheng said.
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Relevant domestic industries, regular import and export orders and market economy had been safeguarded.
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"Smuggling activities from Hong Kong to the mainland are decreasing progressively, and the difference between Hong Kong and mainland's statistical import and export amount is almost balanced," he said.
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And the customs' anti-smuggling campaign was stepped up in order to cope with the changing domestic and international environment, he noted.
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"Frauds in commodity value and smuggling activities through the processing trade are still on the rise," Sheng said. Smuggling of refined oil is rampant in key sea areas through the southern provinces and regions of Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian to northern and western China.
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Moreover, smuggling activities through passenger channels as well as non-tariff related smuggling of waste and drugs are sharply increasing, said the deputy director.
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Since the beginning of this year, the customs has launched a series of crackdowns on the smuggling of foreign fruit, solid waste, frozen products and smuggling through illegal concealment, said Lu Bin, director of the GAC's Anti-smuggling Department.
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The customs departments have investigated some 13,800 smuggling cases, including some 7,000 criminal cases, during the first nine months, he said.
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"We will maintain pressure against smuggling activities," said Lu.
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Sheng said China would seek the establishment of a long-term counter-smuggling mechanism through a series of measures, such as to improve the anti-smuggling legal system, and strengthen supervision towards the logistics of imported and exported goods.
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GAC will also enhance co-operation with the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions as well as the customs of major trading partners to jointly combat transnational smuggling and customs fraud, he said.

Int'l cooperation expanded to combat smuggling

A top Chinese customs official vowed in Beijing Tuesday to enhance cooperation between Hong Kong, Macao and major Chinese trade partners to combat international smuggling activities and customs fraud.

China has "effectively" contained massive smuggling activities since 1998 when it launched a nationwide campaign to fight against the crime, Sheng Guangzu, deputy director of the General Administration of Customs, told a press conference.

"However, under new circumstances, smuggling situation remains severe and smugglers have become more shrewd," Sheng said. "That poses new challenges to the anti-smuggling task."

Currently, smuggling of refined oil is also rampant in key sea areas, he said. In addition, non-tarrif related smuggling cases, such as waste products and drugs, are also rising.

"All that shows as long as the price difference between domestic and international market and trade restrictions exist, smugglers will never stop risking themselves for huge profits despite severe punishment of law," he noted.

To carry out further the fight against smuggling, Sheng said, China will adopt a series of measures, such as improving the customs' anti-smuggling legal system, establishing a defense against commercial price fraud, a credit management system for businesses, and a strict supervision and control of imported and exported goods.

Statistics show that Chinese customs have investigated some 13,800 smuggling cases, including some 7,000 criminal cases, during the January-September period this year.

During the period, compulsory measures have been adopted on 2,314 suspected smuggling criminals, which is roughly equal to that of last year.
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(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2004))