Customs agency orders investigation of imported vehicles
The
General Department of Customs (GDC) has requested the Hai Phong Customs Agency
to investigate suspected cases of import fraud.
According
to the GDC, some enterprises in Hai Phong City have recently imported some
consignments of Hyundai Veracruz and Santa Fe cars, both seven seater cars with
two-litre engines. The said vehicles were declared by importers as cash
transportation vehicles.
However,
the GDC has discovered that the imported vehicles are similar to the Veracruz
and Santa Fe models used as people carriers, both of which are popular in
Vietnam. The official websites of Hyundai group, the manufacturer of the
models, shows that the manufacturer does not make specific versions for
Veracruz and Santa Fe used for carrying cash
The
manufacturer is now making a specific kind of vehicle used for transporting
cash, called the Grand Starex. This kind of vehicle is now being provided in
Vietnam by Hyundai Vietnam (HMV).
As for
the Veracruz and Santa Fe, the two models are being used mostly to carry
people, considered as luxury MPV vehicle in Vietnam. The prices of the two
models are relatively high for Vietnam. The Santa Fe sells at 50,000-60,000
dollar, while the Veracruz at some 70,000 dollars.
The GDC thinks
that by declaring luxury cars as cash transportation vehicles, the importers
have tried to evade paying tax on them. Currently, cash transportation vehicles
have a low import tax of 10 percent whilst the luxury tax is 15 percent . Cars
for personal use have an 83 per cent tax imposed and a 50 percent luxury tax.
With the big gaps in the tax rates applied to two kinds of vehicles, importers
can make profits of tens of thousands of dollars for each vehicle imported.
The GDC
instructed the Hai Phong Customs Agency to find out what the imported vehicles
are and report the result to GDC before the Ministry of Finance makes a final
decision.