Measures devised to combat smuggling and trade fraud

According to the report of the National Steering Committee Against Smuggling, Trade Frauds and Counterfeiting Goods (National Steering Committee 389), in the past nine months, functional forces nationwide have detected and handled more than 100,000 cases of violations, contributing and adding nearly VND7.5 trillion (over US$329.2 million) to the State budget, as well as prosecuted 1,615 cases with 2,148 subjects.

Market managers check the quality of imported confectionery products. (Photo: Nguyen Trang)
Market managers check the quality of imported confectionery products. (Photo: Nguyen Trang)

The above results are attributable to the increasingly close coordination between functional forces such as police, customs, market management, border guards, thereby ensuring prompt detection and the handling of several serious violations.

However, smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods are assessed as still being very complicated in some key routes, areas and fields. Especially, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this situation is even more complicated. Functional forces have continuously discovered a series of violations within the production and trading of food, cosmetics and agricultural materials that were expired or of unknown origin; counterfeit goods, equipment and medical supplies related to epidemic prevention and control in large quantities.

At the recent meeting of the National Steering Committee 389, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Steering Committee Pham Binh Minh underscored that the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in some localities hasn’t been closely directed and implemented, the functional forces haven’t done well in managing these areas and subjects.

Therefore, in order to properly control and repel smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeit goods as the country is returning to a new normal, safely adapting to the pandemic while restoring economic development, it is necessary to continue and uphold the role and responsibility of the people, especially in detecting and strictly handling violations.

From now until the end of the year is the peak time for smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods. Functional forces should continue to strengthen the inspection, control and handling of all goods, especially those of unknown origin, goods of poor quality, counterfeit goods, smuggled goods and most importantly goods related to people’s health.

In addition, it is also necessary to promote the application of technology in the prevention and combat of e-commerce fraud; and suceed in collecting information and forecasting market conditions to build inspection and control plans that are similar to the actual situations.

More attention should be paid to key groups of products and the related violations in order to contribute to stabilising the market, and ensuring the interests of consumers.