Keelung Customs (KLC) calls on importers of used vehicles to declare actual values of their vehicles to Customs to avoid clearance delays or even severe monetary penalties.  

KLC indicated, “Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the production of motor vehicles worldwide has been affected due to automotive chip shortage and chaos in global shipping.  Therefore, demand for used cars has been soaring and their imports to Taiwan increasing significantly.”  In the meantime, however, KLC has found several cases in which import declarations of used vehicles were accompanied by forged, altered, or false invoices. As the intention of so doing was to evade Customs duties and taxes, the declarants at issue would face large amount of fines. KLC thus called for voluntary compliance from importers.

KLC further explained, “According to Article 37 of the Customs Anti-smuggling Act, in case a forged, altered, or false invoice or certificate associated with an import declaration has been found, Customs may impose a fine up to five times of the duties evaded.  Moreover, the case might also have to be referred to judicial authorities for further investigation.”  So KLC stressed that importers should honestly declare the Customs value of goods imported by them and submit genuine and complete transaction documents when making declarations to the Customs.

For more information about the appraisement of imported used vehicles, please contact the Mobile Inspection and Auditing Division, KLC at 02-25505500 ext. 2653.