Strengthening the fight against smuggling and trade fraud

The functional forces in the province have been synchronously and resolutely implementing solutions to combat and prevent smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods. This is identified as one of the fundamental strategies, contributing significantly to promoting official import-export activities, building a transparent and professional business environment.

Van Gia Port Customs and Van Gia Port Border Guard Station coordinate to inspect import and export goods. Photo: Huu Viet

According to the report of the Provincial Steering Committee 389, from the beginning of 2025 until now, although the border has been tightly controlled, the situation of smuggling, trade fraud, and illegal transportation of goods still has potential risks. That is because the subjects often take advantage of the rugged terrain of the border on land, on rivers, at sea, along with many trails, spontaneous wharves... to commit violations, especially at dark and hidden times at night. Recorded at the border gate area, violations are becoming more and more sophisticated, in which the situation of taking advantage of the ease of electronic declaration to intentionally declare the wrong name of goods has emerged. The subjects even do not declare or declare wrongly the type, quantity, or value to commit tax fraud and tax evasion. Some key items include cigarettes, cosmetics, fake fashion items of famous brands, electronics, frozen foods... The trick is that when brought into the country, the violating goods will be divided into small pieces, sent by passenger vans for long-distance transport or put on e-commerce platforms for consumption through express delivery post offices...

Faced with that situation, Quang Ninh province has implemented a series of synchronous and drastic solutions, demonstrating the participation of the entire political system. In particular, Quang Ninh is the first locality in the country to complete the Provincial Steering Committee 389 with the title of Head of the Provincial Steering Committee 389 being the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Commune-level Steering Committee 389 being the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, ward, and special zone. This completion aims to ensure the principle of "clear people, clear work, clear responsibilities, clear areas" from the border to the interior. Localities and functional agencies are proactive in proposing preventive measures early, from afar, with a combat plan close to reality. From there, it is aimed at promptly preventing, detecting, arresting and strictly handling, with no forbidden areas, no exceptions.

Tra Co Border Guard Station arrested a subject illegally transporting 4 tons of oysters from China to Vietnam (July 2025). Photo: Huu Viet

With a very determined spirit, from the beginning of 2025 to now, the Provincial Steering Committee 389 has issued and advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue a total of 54 directive documents, implementing key programs and work plans. The whole province has detected, arrested, and handled nearly 2,500 cases of smuggling and trade fraud; the total value of violated goods is more than 45.5 billion VND. Of which, 46 cases/107 subjects were criminally prosecuted, an increase of 31.4% in the number of cases and 95% in the number of subjects compared to the same period in 2024. The Customs Branch of Region VIII alone has presided over, arrested, and handled 543 cases, including 250 violations in the field of anti-smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, and 293 violations of customs procedures. At the commune level, functional forces have continuously strengthened measures to strictly control border gates and border routes. In particular, continuously patrol and resolutely handle those who produce, transport, gather, and trade banned, smuggled, and counterfeit goods domestically.

The focus on propaganda and mobilization has also contributed positively to the task of preventing smuggling and trade fraud. The goal is to bring knowledge of legal regulations into life, especially raising awareness of law compliance in the border community not to participate, assist or cover up violators. In particular, propaganda and dissemination of laws on the regime of invoices and documents related to the origin and source of goods have been enhanced, helping organizations, businesses and individuals to know and comply properly; while facilitating inspection and traceability.

Tightening management according to the principle of "clear people, clear work, clear responsibilities", strengthening inspection and handling according to regulations, and promoting administrative reform in the Customs sector... are key solutions to help promote official import-export activities and repel smuggling and trade fraud in the province.

In the first 9 months of 2025, import-export activities in the province continued to be maintained stably and recorded many signs of improvement. The Customs Department carried out customs procedures for 157,835 declarations, an increase of 26% over the same period last year, with the participation of 2,446 enterprises, an increase of 43% (equivalent to 740 more enterprises). The total import-export turnover through the area reached more than 15.6 billion USD, an increase of 12% over the same period in 2024. State budget revenue from import-export activities reached 12,657 billion VND, equal to 71% of the target assigned by the Government , Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and Provincial People's Committee (17,800 billion VND), and at the same time reached 98% compared to the scenario at the beginning of the year (12,950 billion VND).

Van Ba

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/tang-cuong-cong-tac-phong-chong-buon-lau-gian-lan-thuong-mai-3382515.html