Actively fight against smuggling and trade fraud

In the last months of the year, when people's consumption demand increases, smuggling and trade fraud activities become more complicated. Especially with Quang Ninh having a long land and sea border, many border gates, seaports, trails, and trade routes with China, smuggling activities at the end of the year become more complicated and sophisticated . To proactively fight and prevent, state management agencies and functional forces in the province have been actively implementing many solutions.

Joint Control Team No. 1 patrols and controls on Ka Long River, Mong Cai City. *Photo: Huu Viet*

Accordingly, the functional forces have actively and proactively carried out professional measures, promptly detected, fought, prevented, arrested and strictly handled violations of the law related to smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, and illegal transportation of goods across the border in accordance with their authority. Thereby, 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 locality. Since the beginning of the year, the functional forces in the province have arrested and handled over 1,600 cases of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, with the value of the violated goods reaching tens of billions of VND.

Typically, in Mong Cai City, from December 16, 2023 to the end of July 2024, local authorities arrested and handled 331 cases/341 subjects related to smuggling and trade fraud, with a total value of goods of more than 11.1 billion VND. Of which, there were more than 170 cases of illegal trading, transportation, and gathering of prohibited and smuggled goods; more than 40 cases of trade fraud and tax fraud; 33 cases of production, trading, and purchase of counterfeit goods and goods violating intellectual property rights. In addition, Mong Cai City authorities also arrested and handled more than 70 cases with more than 70 subjects illegally transporting and trading food of unknown origin and not ensuring food hygiene and safety, seizing more than 24,000 kg and 97,881 food products of all kinds with an estimated total value of more than 2.5 billion VND; 19 cases/19 subjects illegally transported, traded and sold 5,551 cosmetic products of all kinds...

Identifying the last months of the year as the time of increasing smuggling, transporting prohibited goods, trade fraud, production and trading of counterfeit and poor quality goods, Steering Committee 389 of Mong Cai City has directed functional forces to strengthen patrolling, controlling, fighting and eliminating smuggling lines; not to be subjective, negligent, or lose vigilance against new methods and tricks of the subjects. Along with that, strengthen the grasp of the situation along the entire border, focus on information collection, proactively establish special projects to fight, not to be passive or surprised in any situation; focus on key subjects, major subjects; key items, such as: Fireworks, alcohol, prohibited goods, animals and plants and products of wild and rare animals and plants, livestock, poultry, construction materials, children's toys, fruits, confectionery, goods that do not ensure food safety and hygiene, goods that violate intellectual property.

Market Management Team No. 6 propagates and mobilizes business households in Uong Bi City to strictly comply with legal regulations in commercial business. *Photo: Nguyen Chien*

In the western region of the province, since the beginning of the year, the functional agencies of Uong Bi City have promptly detected and handled many violations of legal regulations in commercial business activities. Accordingly, clearly identifying the characteristics and situation of the locality, the Steering Committee 389 of Uong Bi City has proactively deployed many appropriate solutions, including assigning specific tasks to member sectors to coordinate well in state management, preventing smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods in the area according to the sector in charge; Requesting member agencies and units to set up a hotline operating 24/7 to receive and handle information reflecting individuals and organizations on smuggling and trade fraud... In the first 8 months of the year, local authorities inspected, detected and handled 133 cases/133 violators, the total amount of administrative fines, goods auctions, and tax arrears was nearly 4 billion VND.

From now until the end of the year, the Uong Bi City Steering Committee 389 has directed its member sectors to step up the fight against smuggling, transporting smuggled goods, prohibited goods, trade fraud, production and trading of counterfeit goods, goods that do not ensure quality and food safety. At the same time, strengthen information, communication, inspection and handling of violations; mobilize organizations and individuals to sign a commitment not to trade in counterfeit, smuggled and poor quality goods, contributing to protecting consumers and promoting production and business in the area.

As an area with a long border both on land and at sea, the work of preventing smuggling and trade fraud in the province always has many potential difficulties and challenges, especially at the end of the year. According to analysis by functional forces, on the border, the masterminds and leaders of smuggling rings often do not operate directly but take advantage of the terrain of the border area with many trails, spontaneous openings and border residents to hire people to carry, carry and illegally transport goods. Some subjects use sophisticated means of automobiles to reinforce tunnels and walls to hide and transport smuggled goods; goods without legal invoices or documents; counterfeit goods, and banned goods from the border area into the inland for consumption. On the sea route, smugglers take advantage of the terrain, weather, nighttime, and difficulties in patrolling and controlling at sea by functional forces, using means such as fishing boats, converted boats, speedboats for transportation... Clearly identifying that situation, implementing the policy of superiors, sectors, localities, and functional units of the province have promptly developed plans, effectively deployed professional measures, closely followed and grasped the local situation to effectively combat and prevent all types of smuggling and trade fraud crimes at the end of the year. Thereby, continuing to maintain political security and social order and safety, preventing hot spots in the area...

Source