The Ministry of Industry and Trade on March 14 held a conference in Ho Chi Minh City to discuss measures to prevent the smuggling of gasoline.

Man carrying empty cans to buy fuel. (Photo:VNA)

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Vu Huy Hoang chaired the conference with participating representatives from cities, provinces and gasoline traders.

According to a report from relevant departments, gasoline and oil from south-western provinces like An Giang, Dong Thap, Kien Giang and Long An in the Mekong Delta region are now being smuggled across the border to neighbouring Cambodia. Smugglers are earning about VND2, 000 (USD0.10) - VND6, 000.

Since early 2011, the smuggling of gasoline has been very complex in some border provinces such as Kien Giang, An Giang, Long An, Tay Ninh and Dong Thap. Boats after boats, loaded with gasoline and oil tanks race through waterways in An Phu District in An Giang Province, making their way to Cambodia to make a fast buck from the higher price available there.

To deal with this situation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Central Steering Committee 127 and the Management Board put many measures in place to prevent gasoline smuggling across borders, such as establishing a special unit to prevent petrol smuggling and monitor other violations carried out in the petrol trade.

Some participants at the conference said that gasoline traders should not be allowed to sell fuel to customers in plastic bags and cans to prevent cross-border smuggling. While some participants thought that many of the suggested measures were not practical and therefore not easy to implement.

Major General Canh Hien from Border Guard High Command said that the gasoline station system in border areas was not suitable and a hindrance to the management.

During March 2011, the border police seized 573,000 tons of gasoline which was being illegally transported across borders.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade expressed that the main target of the gasoline trade was to supply production to meet the peoples demand.

Mr. Hoang said that this month he would create and issue gasoline trade and management regulations based on suggestions made by participants at the conference.