(KPL) Second-hand vehicles with a quality status lower than 80 percent are banned for importation, said Mr Santiphab Phomvihane, Director of the Customs Department.

Mr Santiphab pointed out that second-hand cars were auctioned at low price but they are not wanted in any country due to their existing regulation and strict measures over the control of used cars.

He said that the status of used vehicles was quite old with lower standard that was affected to consumers.

After an inspection done by the Customs Department in cooperation with authorities concerned it was found out 166 second-hand cars had been imported through three international checkpoints this year. These checkpoints are in Vientiane Capital, Borikhamsay and Bokeo provinces.

Of the imported cars 51 came through Thanaleng channel in Vientiane Capital.
According to the tax payment regulation, the import of used cars would face penalties of two fold of the total cost car.

The total tax payment getting from fine penalty of importing second-hand cars was 4.6 billion kip.

In addition, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport has already limited the technical standards of vehicles and spare part of
automobiles before importing.

Mr Santiphab called on all secondhand car business and individual importers that did not pay taxes should to pay tax, and the secondhand cars would not be authorised to import.