Where Do Customs Confiscated Goods Go?

Where Do Customs Confiscated Goods Go?

Customs confiscated goods are a topic of much curiosity. Is it the "smuggled goods for sale" often seen in social media posts, or is it simply the mysterious "internal processing" claimed by uninformed netizens?

Today, let's explore the truth behind the fate of these seized items.

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What Kind of Items Does Customs Confiscate?

According to the Customs Involved Property Management Measures (Trial), customs confiscated items mainly include:

• Smuggled or illegal goods: Products that violate customs regulations.

• Proceeds from illegal activities and their earnings: Profits made from illegal acts.

• Smuggling or illegal transportation tools: Tools used in the commission of crimes.

• Goods, items, and transportation tools detained for fines: Items held for penalties to be exchanged for fulfilling administrative decisions.

What Are the Main Ways Customs Handles Confiscated Goods?

1. Public Auctions

For most items, unless stipulated by national laws or under special circumstances, customs conducts public auctions according to the Auction Law. Auctions are held periodically, with customs entrusting auction houses to handle the process. The proceeds from these auctions are fully deposited into the national treasury.

Customs auction announcements can be found on the General Administration of Customs official website under the "Information Disclosure" section or through newspapers and other media outlets. In recent years, customs has frequently hosted online auctions on popular platforms such as Taobao and JD.com.

2. Targeted Sales

For example, refined oil products seized by customs may be sold to designated entities such as China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) or China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), who purchase them at wholesale prices for further processing.

3. Destruction

Items such as obscene materials, illegal audiovisual products, illegal promotional materials, smuggled cigarettes, and non-compliant imported goods (which fail health inspections or cannot be certified) are all destroyed.

4. Transfer to Relevant Authorities

Cultural relics, endangered species, and their products that are confiscated are transferred to the relevant administrative authorities for proper handling in accordance with the law.

Can Customs Confiscated Goods Be Sold Through "Internal Channels"?

Absolutely not!

Customs has implemented advanced technological systems to manage seized property. The warehouses storing confiscated goods are under 24-hour surveillance, and every step of the process, from storage to disposal, is monitored and recorded. All confiscated goods are handled according to strict legal procedures.

Additionally, the Auction Law is followed rigorously for these items, and internal customs regulations strictly prohibit employees or their families from purchasing confiscated items. Therefore, rumors circulating about "low-price sales" or "internal channels" for customs confiscated goods are simply false. Consumers should remain cautious and avoid falling for these misleading traps.

Source: 海关发布

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