Rectify and tighten the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs a meeting on combating smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods. (Photo: TRAN HAI)

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that in recent times, ministries, branches, localities and functional forces have made great efforts in the work of "only discussing, not retreating", fighting against trade fraud, counterfeit goods, counterfeit goods... The results have contributed to the overall development of the country, especially in controlling the situation of goods related to protecting people's health and lives, and protecting peace, security and order.

However, the situation has recently become complicated: cross-border smuggling and counterfeit goods are complicated; many serious and especially serious cases involving counterfeit goods have occurred in many provinces and cities, especially those involving counterfeit foods and drugs, causing confusion and anxiety among the public. This requires us to have effective solutions in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods because if this situation continues, it will negatively impact security and order, stability, people's health, budget loss and many other aspects.

Representatives of leaders of ministries, branches and delegates attending the meeting. (Photo: TRAN HAI)

According to the Prime Minister, relevant agencies and localities have loosened management in the past. We have functional agencies, management ministries, and localities, but the above situation still occurs, the subjects have production facilities and warehouses with large volumes until the police force prosecuted the cases and temporarily detained the subjects. It is clear that we have loosened management, so we must find the cause and responsibility of the functional agencies, and there must be a collective and an individual responsible.

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son - Head of the National Steering Committee 389 spoke at the meeting. (Photo: TRAN HAI)

Therefore, in this meeting, the relevant ministries and branches reviewed, evaluated, identified, and clearly defined responsibilities, and on that basis issued a Directive by the Prime Minister to rectify this work. According to the Prime Minister, fake food, fake medicine, etc. are very dangerous. If fake, counterfeit, and smuggled goods continue to be smuggled into the country and tax evasion occurs, the consequences will be unpredictable in many ways.

The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Finance and the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee 389 to report on this situation, clearly stating the cause? Whose responsibility is it? Is there overlap or omission of tasks? Is there large-scale smuggling, large warehouses of fake and smuggled goods openly existing without the locality knowing?

In the coming time, the Prime Minister requires relevant agencies, localities, and forces to organize implementation, define responsibilities, avoid overlaps, omissions, etc. From there, there must be a Directive related to this work, promptly organize the dissemination of this work nationwide; must review the responsibilities of ministries, branches, and localities to handle the responsibilities of related officials.

Meeting scene . (Photo: TRAN HAI)

The Prime Minister requested to focus on assessing the situation, causes; organizational work, are there any overlaps or missed tasks? Are the legal documents complete? If they are not complete, who will do it, who must complete it? Coordination between ministries, branches, localities, and forces to quickly prevent and end this situation because it is also related to the origin of goods. The problem is the close coordination between leading agencies, enforcement agencies, ministries, branches, localities... many issues arise. The Prime Minister especially emphasized that there must be solutions to overcome this situation. This is a very big problem, not simple. We must propose immediate and long-term measures to create peace of mind for the people, especially the situation of smuggling, tax evasion, manipulation, hoarding, price gouging...

Delegates attending the meeting . (Photo: TRAN HAI)

According to the National Steering Committee 389, in the first 4 months of 2025, units and localities arrested and handled more than 34,000 violations, including: more than 8,200 cases of trading and transporting prohibited and smuggled goods; more than 25,100 cases of trade fraud and tax fraud; more than 1,100 cases of counterfeit goods and intellectual property violations; collected more than 4,897 billion VND for the state budget; prosecuted nearly 1,400 cases and more than 2,100 subjects.

Ministry of Finance: The Customs sector presided over and coordinated with forces to arrest more than 5,200 cases, the value of infringing goods was estimated at over 10,000 billion VND, the state budget revenue reached over 347 billion VND; the Tax sector detected and handled more than 19,000 cases of trade fraud and tax fraud, the total amount paid to the state budget was over 4,000 billion VND.

Ministry of Industry and Trade: Market Management forces inspected more than 6,500 cases, detected and handled more than 5,800 violations; collected over 93 billion VND for the budget; transferred 43 cases with signs of criminality to the investigation agency.

Ministry of National Defense: Border Guard forces took the lead in arresting more than 400 cases, collecting more than 8 billion VND for the state budget; Coast Guard forces detected, arrested, and handled 134 cases, the value of temporarily seized goods is estimated at over 8 billion VND.

Ministry of Public Security: The police force investigated and handled 1,400 cases of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods; prosecuted over 1,200 cases, over 2,000 defendants; the total amount of money collected for the state budget was over 134 billion VND.

Leaders of central ministries and branches attended the meeting. (Photo: TRAN HAI)

According to the assessment, the Steering Committee 389 of ministries, branches, provinces and cities has done a good job of leading, directing and thoroughly grasping, requiring units and forces to strictly implement the directives of the Government, the Prime Minister, and the National Steering Committee 389 on the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods; proactively developing a plan to fight smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in 2025, directing functional forces to develop plans suitable to the situation of their areas, units and localities for effective implementation.

The functional forces actively and proactively take professional measures, promptly detect, combat, prevent, arrest and strictly handle violations of the law related to smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, illegal transportation of goods across the border in accordance with their authority, contributing to stabilizing the market, protecting the rights and interests of businesses and consumers, ensuring security and order, serving the socio-economic development of the country.

The work of exchanging, sharing information, and coordinating the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods between the Steering Committee 389 of ministries, branches, provinces, and cities has achieved high efficiency; many major violations have been jointly detected, arrested, and handled according to the provisions of law; there have been no hot spots of smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods; information and propaganda work against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods on the media has been widely spread to many fields, locations, and subjects...

To improve the effectiveness of the work of preventing and combating smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, the National Steering Committee 389 has identified a number of key tasks in the coming time as follows:

Continue to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the directives of the Government, Prime Minister, and National Steering Committee 389 on the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods.

Develop programs, plans, and solutions to combat smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods in accordance with local conditions and task requirements; especially focus on combating and effectively preventing illegal drug trafficking and transportation, smuggling, illegal transportation of gold, foreign currency, and counterfeit goods of Vietnamese origin for export to other countries; and production and trade of counterfeit goods, poor quality goods, and goods that infringe intellectual property rights.

Ministries and branches, according to their functions, review legal documents and regulations related to the fight against counterfeit and poor quality goods, promptly propose amendments and supplements to regulations to overcome limitations and shortcomings, create a legal corridor to improve the effectiveness of the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods.

Authorities promote digital transformation and apply information technology in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods; enhance connectivity, information sharing and provision; deploy and improve the effectiveness of hotlines, ensuring timely collection and processing of reports from the public.

Strengthen inspection and supervision of ministries and branches on the work of combating smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods and the forces performing the tasks. Attach responsibility to the Party committees, heads of agencies and organizations in the work of combating smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods; promptly detect and strictly handle individuals who assist, protect and cover up smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods activities.

Strengthen the National Steering Committee 389 and the Steering Committees 389 of ministries, branches and localities; amend decisions and regulations on the operations of the Steering Committees 389 at all levels to improve the effectiveness of the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods; proactively establish interdisciplinary teams to inspect and supervise the compliance with legal regulations of enterprises, organizations and individuals to promptly detect and handle subjects with acts of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods.

NDO

Source: https://baohanam.com.vn/kinh-te/thuong-mai-dich-vu/chan-chinh-siet-chat-cong-tac-chong-buon-lau-gian-lan-thuong-mai-va-hang-gia-hang-nhai-160770.html