Tighten control of smuggling at the end of the year

Officers and soldiers of the Ha Tien International Border Gate Border Guard Station patrol and grasp the local situation, contributing to the effective implementation of anti-smuggling work. Photo: Thu Oanh

Prevent smuggling from the source

An Giang has a unique location with a land border of more than 148km, a dense system of rivers and canals. Since the beginning of the year, although the market situation has been basically stable, the supply and demand of goods have been guaranteed, smuggling and illegal transportation of goods and prohibited goods have remained complicated, especially on sea routes, rivers, land borders and cyberspace. In the first 9 months of 2025, the authorities discovered 1,286 violations; including 237 cases of trade fraud, 28 cases of counterfeit goods and 713 other violations, collecting over 211 billion VND for the budget, criminally prosecuting 40 cases and 51 subjects. The scale and nature of smuggling activities are complicated, requiring efforts from the entire political system.

To strengthen market control in the last months of 2025, the province will strengthen the Provincial Steering Committee 389 and its support team, establish an interdisciplinary team; and at the same time direct communes, wards, and special zones to quickly establish grassroots-level Steering Committee 389, and develop a plan to inspect and control the market in line with the actual situation.

According to Vice Chairman of the People's Committee, Head of Steering Committee 389 of Tan Chau Ward Nguyen Minh Tuyen, the locality has identified fighting smuggling and trade fraud as a regular, long-term task. The ward has communicated to each business household, encouraging small traders to sign a commitment not to store or consume smuggled goods.

Tan Chau Market Management Board coordinates with market management forces to regularly inspect, propagate and remind businesses to comply with legal regulations. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Tham - a grocery trader at Tan Chau Market shared: "We pledge not to assist in smuggling, not to trade in counterfeit goods, fake goods, or goods of unknown origin."

“The border area of Vinh Xuong commune is adjacent to Tien River, where criminals take advantage of the darkness to transport smuggled goods across the border. The commune maintains an inter-agency patrol team, strengthens inspections of wharves and waterway vehicles, and strictly handles cases of aiding and abetting. We encourage people to actively report violations; each person is an “eye and ear” of the authorities,” said Nguyen Dac Pham Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee and Head of Steering Committee 389 of Vinh Xuong commune.

At sea, illegal transshipment, transportation and trading of DO oil continues. From the border to the inland, the methods of smugglers are increasingly sophisticated and reckless. Inland, the trading and transport of prohibited goods, smuggled goods and commercial fraud still take place on a small scale and scattered such as: dividing goods into small pieces, transporting by motorboats and motorbikes through trails; hiding high-value goods in vehicles, personal luggage or falsely declaring product codes, values and origins to evade taxes. In cyberspace, the trading of counterfeit and poor-quality goods through e-commerce platforms and social networks tends to increase.

Market management forces inspect goods in the domestic market. Photo: MINH HIEN

Joint forces, joint areas, joint lines

Faced with the increasingly complicated situation of smuggling, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Provincial Steering Committee 389 Nguyen Thanh Phong directed all levels and sectors to strengthen coordination between forces, between localities, and between lines. The authorities are determined to strictly, publicly, and transparently handle all violations, from administrative to criminal. At the same time, strengthen propaganda and mobilization work to create high consensus and active participation of the people in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods.

Thoroughly implementing the above directive, the Provincial Steering Committee 389 assigned the Department of Industry and Trade to take the lead in implementing peak periods on 3 routes: Border, sea and inland, focusing on key items such as drugs, foreign cigarettes, DO oil, sugar, cosmetics, functional foods, electronics... closely following the area and subjects to promptly detect and handle violations.

Border guards have increased patrols and surprise inspections of ships, boats, fishing ports, and wharves. The provincial police have coordinated with the Department of Industry and Trade to pay attention to information on cyberspace to track warehouses and online order closing accounts; publicly warn about methods and tricks of violations so that people can be vigilant and participate in reporting crimes. The Department of Finance has arranged funding and equipment to serve the front line. Taxation, Coast Guard 4, and Customs Region XX continue to closely coordinate, share information, and cooperate with local departments, branches, and market management forces to effectively combat smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods during the peak period in the last months of 2025.

The fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods is not only the task of the authorities but also the shared responsibility of the entire political system and society. When the government is determined, the people are united, and traders say no to smuggled goods, that is the spreading power that helps An Giang maintain the market, protect domestic production and consumer rights. The province strives to prevent smuggled goods right at the border, maintain market stability, and create a solid foundation for a safe and healthy year-end shopping season.

MINH HIEN - KIEU DIEM

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/siet-chat-kiem-soat-buon-lau-dip-cuoi-nam-a464590.html