Official Opening of 'Gunsan Port Express Cargo Customs Clearance Center' on the 26th
Complete Blockade of Overseas Direct Purchase Items and Illegal Narcotics
Gunsan Maritime Police (Chief Park Kyung-chae) held a business consultation with the Korea Customs Trade Development Institute to prevent the smuggling of illegal items such as drugs and firearms by abusing the express cargo system ahead of the official opening of the Gunsan Port Express Cargo Terminal in Jeonbuk.
According to Gunsan Maritime Police on the 20th, the Gunsan Port Express Cargo Clearance Terminal (hereinafter Gunsan Port Express Terminal), which will officially open on the 26th, is a customs clearance facility handling e-commerce goods and will be the fourth such facility added in Gunsan. Existing facilities are currently operated in three locations: Incheon, Pyeongtaek, and Busan ports.
On the 20th, Park Kyung-chae, Chief of Gunsan Coast Guard (4th from the left), and Lee Sang-woo, Director of Gunsan Branch of Korea Customs and Trade Development Institute (5th), are commemorating in front of the Gunsan Port express delivery center. [Photo by Gunsan Coast Guard]
On this day, Chief Park visited the Korea Customs Trade Development Institute, the managing body of the Gunsan Port Express Terminal, inspected the customs clearance facility, and received a briefing on the current operations.
The Korea Customs Trade Development Institute conducts inspection and processing of e-commerce express cargo arriving via cargo ships between Gunsan Port and Shidao (Seokdo), China.
Lee Sang-woo, head of the Gunsan branch of the Korea Customs Trade Development Institute, stated, "The express terminal is equipped with X-ray and simultaneous imaging systems to establish a precise and rapid customs clearance system," adding, "We plan to conduct thorough inspections to prevent the import of drugs and illegal goods through overseas direct purchases."
Recent data from the Maritime Police shows an increasing trend of cases where counterfeit luxury goods were smuggled from China or drugs were hidden in container ships and seized by the Maritime Police.
In early November last year, the Incheon Maritime Police uncovered a smuggling organization that illegally imported and distributed about 50,000 boxes of counterfeit luxury goods worth approximately 1.5 trillion won through Incheon Port.
In mid-January 2021, the Namhae Maritime Police seized 35 kg of cocaine worth about 105 billion won from the engine room of the Liberia-flagged container ship A, a 140,000-ton vessel, which had docked at Busan New Port.
Park Kyung-chae, chief of Gunsan Maritime Police, said, "Attempts to smuggle drugs and counterfeit goods via cargo ship containers have been steadily occurring," and added, "We will strengthen the organic cooperation system with the Korea Customs Trade Development Institute to block the smuggling of drugs and other illegal goods."
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