Strengthening the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods

In recent times, Quang Tri province has stepped up the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods. Thanks to that, this work has brought about positive results, awareness of all levels and sectors has been raised; the role and responsibility of functional forces have been enhanced; the number of cases of trading and transporting prohibited and smuggled goods has decreased. However, the quantity and value of violating goods and prosecuted subjects have increased. Therefore, it is necessary to continue promoting solutions to contribute to a healthy market, creating conditions for production and business activities in the province to develop.

Smuggled white sugar was seized at the Lao Bao International Border Gate Border Guard Station - Photo: ML

Last year, the situation of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods became more complicated, the scale of violations became larger and larger, and the methods and tricks became more and more sophisticated and cunning. Smuggled goods, counterfeit goods, and goods violating intellectual property rights are increasingly sold through e-commerce, making investigation and verification difficult. This method is not new but is increasing.

In that situation, closely following the direction of the Government , ministries, central branches, the National Steering Committee 389 and the Provincial People's Committee, the Provincial Steering Committee 389 strengthens the direction of departments, branches, functional forces and localities to proactively deploy the task of fighting against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods according to the set plan; strengthen propaganda and dissemination of legal regulations, especially launching a peak period against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the province from June 15 to July 15, 2024.

Departments, branches, functional forces and localities actively follow the locality, promptly grasp the laws, methods and tricks of smuggling and trade fraud on the border and inland to arrange forces and means to fight effectively, especially handling large-scale violations and counterfeit goods cases. The specialized inspection and examination work of departments and branches on fertilizers, pesticides; gasoline; food safety; standards, measurements, product quality... continues to be strengthened.

In the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in 2024, the authorities inspected, detected, arrested and handled 2,057 cases, down 0.77% compared to 2023, with the value of infringing goods at VND 35.04 billion, up 36.35% compared to 2023; sanctioned 1,615 administrative violations, down 2%, collected VND 64.13 billion for the budget, up 4.28% in amount compared to 2023; prosecuted 322 cases with 484 subjects, up 9.9% in number of cases and 6.14% in number of subjects prosecuted, respectively.

Confiscated goods include: addictive drugs, synthetic drugs, crystal meth; explosives, firecrackers; cigarettes and electronic cigarettes; alcohol of all kinds, beer; sugar, milk; animal products; gold; children's toys, functional foods, cosmetics, clothes, electronic products and accessories, candy, wood of all kinds and non-timber forest products, etc.

Sectors and localities have also organized the development of plans and implemented the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods in their localities, focusing mainly on propaganda work on law compliance in production and business activities; checking the quality of products and goods; and checking food hygiene and safety.

As a result, the Department of Industry and Trade inspected and fined 1 business establishment trading in smuggled goods and violating food safety with a fine of 24 million VND; the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development inspected 117 fertilizer and pesticide business establishments, discovered 7 establishments violating, including 2 organizations and 4 individuals, fined a total of 18.45 million VND; inspected 103 establishments producing and processing agricultural, forestry and aquatic products, discovered 21 establishments violating, with a total fine of 140.77 million VND.

The Department of Health inspected and examined 158 organizations and individuals and fined 33 organizations and individuals for violations in food business, functional foods, and cosmetic activities, with the total amount of administrative fines and recovered money being 220.55 million VND.

The Department of Science and Technology organized 14 inspections and examinations and administratively fined 5 enterprises VND 59.25 million for not declaring applicable standards, quality not conforming to applicable declared standards, not fully recording mandatory contents on product labels, removing seals on measuring instruments and using measuring instruments without inspection certificates.

Carrying out the tasks assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to strengthen the fight against smuggling and fraud of sugar products, the functional forces have increased patrols and controls, and as a result, the amount of smuggled sugar has decreased sharply (57.92%) from 3,081 tons/day (average in the first 8 months of the year) to 1.29 tons/day (average in the last months of 2024).

In the coming time, the Provincial Steering Committee 389 will continue to urge departments, branches, functional forces and localities to seriously implement Resolution No. 41/NQ-CP dated June 9, 2015 of the Government on promoting the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the new situation; Plan for peak anti-smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2025 in the province and specialized directive documents.

Directing functional forces to focus on fighting and handling smugglers, large-scale or valuable smuggled warehouses, and main transportation routes (along the border, Lao Bao and La Lay International Border Gate areas, National Highway 9, National Highway 1). Strengthening the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods in e-commerce. Strengthening coordination with functional forces in providing information, fighting, arresting, and handling cases of smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods. Directing localities to step up information and propaganda work, providing information, and denouncing crimes...

Minh Long

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/tang-cuong-dau-tranh-chong-buon-lau-gian-lan-thuong-mai-hang-gia-190953.htm