Many smuggled cosmetic products of unknown origin were discovered by authorities. Photo: VNA

Mr. Nguyen Thuan Dat - CEO of Duy Anh Fashion and Cosmetics Company, a distributor of more than 138 international brands in Vietnam such as Rolex, Cartier, Versace, Nike... said: Counterfeit products are being sold openly on social networks and e-commerce platforms at prices ranging from only 10 - 30% of the real price. This situation causes genuine businesses to lose at least 15 - 20% of their revenue, not to mention the huge costs of brand protection.

In addition to counterfeit goods, the market is also "distorted" by hand-carried goods without invoices or taxes but advertised as high-end goods.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is one of the agencies assigned by the Government to enforce the law and has issued Decision 1398/QD-BCT on the plan to monitor, inspect, and handle smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods with the ultimate goal of "moving towards ending the production and trading of counterfeit and pirated goods". This is a determination in preventing and combating smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods; at the same time, it is a statement showing a drastic shift from prevention to proactive attack.

Immediately after the peak was launched, the functional forces immediately took action, strongly implementing inspection and supervision measures. As with market management, in the past 3 weeks with the determination of "no forbidden zones, no exceptions" and in the spirit of "strongly handling violations", the entire force has taken action, conducted general inspections, controlled, and handled warehouses that violated regulations; launched a general attack on hotspots of counterfeit goods and goods that infringe intellectual property rights.

Low-quality cosmetics and goods are sold everywhere on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Huong Giang/ VNA

Notable among them were the general raid and inspection of Saigon Square Shopping Center, considered a "paradise" for shopping for "cheap branded goods" in Ho Chi Minh City, or the raid on a warehouse of suspected counterfeit perfumes in the middle of Hanoi's Old Quarter; the inspection of fashion stores on Da Nang's tourist streets; the seizure of hundreds of thousands of products of unknown origin at Asia Trade Supply Chain Joint Stock Company...

However, during the implementation process, the market management force encountered many challenges. For example, at Saigon Square Trade Center, when the working group of the Market Management Department, Department of Domestic Market Management and Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade inspected, many traders hastily closed their shops to avoid being caught. Even the security team's walkie-talkie system was immediately activated, broadcasting an announcement via internal loudspeaker warning traders to close their shops... Despite the closed doors, many traders packed their goods and transported them out of Saigon Square by many means.

Or in Da Nang, on the tourist street of Tran Phu, when checking the Black Label store specializing in selling fashion handbags, the owner of this store had closed the door, pulled the curtain to cover the front, and locked the door from the inside. When domestic customers asked to buy, the store staff refused to serve them, citing the reason of "temporary closure, changing business location", but they welcomed foreign customers and locked the door when they entered.

Mr. Tran Viet Hung, Head of Market Management Department, Department of Domestic Market Management and Development (Ministry of Industry and Trade) informed: Through inspection and supervision, the Market Management force recorded the situation in many localities where there are stores, business establishments, and companies with many violations of the law.

According to statistics from the Government Office, after 2 weeks of peak implementation, functional forces have inspected, detected and arrested more than 450 violations of trading, commercial fraud, counterfeit goods, tax evasion, with a total value of goods and exhibits of more than 40 billion VND. Particularly for the activities of the market management force, many major violations have been inspected, detected and handled; at the same time, strict handling with the motto "handling one case, warning the whole region, the whole field", "no forbidden areas, no exceptions".

However, Mr. Tran Viet Hung also pointed out the challenge from the lack of cooperation of small traders and business households. When the inspection team went to inspect, there was a phenomenon of "closed doors and bolts". Along with that, the coordination between functional forces and the coordination with local authorities was not really close and unified in inspection, control and prevention of violations.

Therefore, Mr. Hung believes that it is necessary to attach responsibility to local authorities. Because more than anyone else, they are the ones who have a firm grasp of the area; ministries and branches have the responsibility to develop policies, coordinate inter-regional and inter-provincial cases... In particular, fighting smuggling and counterfeit goods is certainly not only a peak month but will take place regularly, daily, hourly and continuously.

Affirming the determination and resoluteness of the Government, ministries, branches and localities in the fight against counterfeit goods, smuggling and trade fraud, Mr. Tran Huu Linh - Director of the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development affirmed that it is necessary to take strong measures against counterfeit goods, not only during peak periods. Therefore, the forces need to strengthen coordination and not leave management areas vacant even during the period of merger and streamlining. At the same time, there should be specific topics and inspection plans, focusing on hot spots, key goods and key areas.

Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Force inspects a business location in Cu Chi district. Photo: Huong Giang/ VNA

In addition, in meetings with the Government, Government leaders have repeatedly emphasized that the responsibility for combating and preventing counterfeit goods will belong to the People's Committees at all levels; ministries and branches in policy making, coordinating the implementation of inter-regional and inter-provincial cases... Thereby, the People's Committees at all levels and branches will enhance their responsibility in this matter.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan - Deputy Head of the Government's Working Group 950 said: To rectify and eventually end the production and trading of counterfeit and smuggled goods, the functional forces in the city must be "fast - strong - accurate - strict", raid the locations and warehouses of smuggled and counterfeit goods to make the market healthy. At the same time, closely follow and seriously implement the direction of the Government and the Prime Minister in the fight against counterfeit goods.

“Not only stopping at the peak, but preventing and combating smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods must be implemented regularly and continuously with more flexible, proactive, and creative solutions,” Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan emphasized.

According to baotintuc.vn

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/cao-diem-la-phai-manh-tay-va-lau-dai-cham-dut-hang-lau-hang-gia-154650.html