Customs inspection of goods and vehicles is necessary to identify transported goods in the event that there are suspicions of violations of existing laws, or for the purpose of checking the compliance of goods with the information included in the declaration. All activities related to the process of inspection of goods are carried out by authorized representatives of the customs authority following the legislation of the Russian Federation.
Inspection is preceded by notification to the declarant, forwarder or carrier of the cargo. In this case, the time of the inspection is indicated so that the person responsible for the cargo can be present. This opportunity is provided upon request, but sometimes, by decision of the customs authority, a requirement for the mandatory presence of a responsible person during the inspection may be imposed. This usually happens when violations are suspected.
In in which cases is customs inspection carried out in the absence of the person responsible for the cargo
- If there is a violation of the customs clearance regime, a security threat is expected from the transported cargo, it may cause harm to health and the environment, and the safety of cultural property is also at risk - in these cases, customs officers have the right to immediately carry out an inspection, without waiting for the person in charge to appear.
- Inspection of cargo sent by international mail.
- If the declarant or the person replacing him fails to show up within the time limits established by law.
In this case, during the inspection process, it is necessary to have witnesses present who replace the absent declarant.
Based on the results of the inspection, a customs inspection report of goods is issued. It reflects information about who carried out the inspection and was present in the process of conducting it. Final marks are also entered here. One copy of the act is taken by a customs representative, and the second is given to the declarant or his replacement.
Types of customs inspection
Customs inspection of goods and vehicles is of the following types:
- Main — associated with verification of information included in the customs declaration.
- Repeated — is carried out to clarify and verify the results.
- Directed — occurs in the case of suspicion of concealment of goods prohibited or restricted for import or export from the territory of the Russian Federation.
- Identification — is a simplified type of inspection designed to determine the compliance of goods with their quantity and description specified in the declaration.
Depending on the type, customs inspection can be carried out with recounting the goods located on cargo items, comparing their weight, full or partial opening, and taking samples for subsequent analysis.
After the inspection is completed, the cargo may be marked with marks intended for customs identification (seals, seals), which serve to protect goods or vehicles from substitution.
If during the inspection process there was damage to goods and vehicles, then it is necessary to determine whether the action of the customs authority representatives was lawful. If this is the case, compensation for the damage caused will not be made.
Failure to comply with the requirements of customs officers, as well as transport crossing the borders of a customs point zone without the appropriate permission, entails the imposition of an administrative fine, the amount of which is determined by the legislation of the Russian Federation.
