Illegally imported commodities are many hindrances to products of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises at home in the market competition. If it cannot inspect and take action against the commodities imported without payment of customs duties, MSME businesses are difficult in having to progress.
Only when authorities effectively inspect and take action against illegal trade measures will MSME at home meet development. Hence, the government emphasizes the eradication of illegal trade across the nation with assignments of departmental officials at checkpoints to inspect illegally imported commodities, the goods which were not mentioned in the import declarations, the commodities which were not paid customs duties, the overloaded volume of commodities exceeding the imported declarations and other goods which violate any rules and regulations for the official import process.
Seizures in February 2023 of illegally imported goods in 477 cases were valued at more than K12 billion, exceeding K4.63 billion rather than 61 cases in January. Likewise, the seizures in February 2023 were larger than K8.86 billion than the 230 cases in the same period due to concerted efforts of special task forces, Customs Department and OSS departments from regions and states under the plans.
It can be reviewed that seizures of larger volumes and amounts of illegal trade showed larger illegal processes in the entire nation. Hence, the officials and staff assigned at the relevant units in cooperation with relevant organizations are to accelerate the eradication of illegal trade which strongly punches the economic development of the State.
In order to reduce illegal trade cases, businesspersons need to use containers for the transport of their commodities and apply an e-lock system for the process as quickly as possible. Moreover, authorities have to notify wholesale centres and retail shops as well as shopping malls of not distributing illegally imported goods into the market by raising awareness, banning, inspecting and taking action against offenders. In so doing, it is necessary to set a time limit for taking public awareness measures before taking action against offenders under the law.
Taking action against illegal trade and avoiding purchases of illegally imported goods help develop the work process of MSME businesses. On the other hand, the activities of dutiful citizens in informing the authorities and relevant organizations about illegal trade offenders and illegally imported goods are giving a helping hand to the MSME businesses at home and creating great chances for them to have the capacity for competition in the domestic market. Hence, every citizen needs to be cautioned that only when MSME develops will the State economy thoroughly boom.
