Smuggling complicated on all routes and areas

	Total effort to prevent smuggled and counterfeit goods in Ho Chi Minh City
	Combating smuggling and illegal transportation of fireworks across Cau Treo International Border Gate
	Unit 1 (Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department, General Department of Customs): Effective in establishing and fighting specialized cases

The conference

According to the report of the National Steering Committee 389 at the conference, in 2023, ministries, central agencies, State authorities and local authorities across the country have handled 146,678 cases of smuggling and trade fraud and counterfeit goods (up 4.95% year-on-year).

Of which, there were 11,499 trafficking cases of prohibited and contraband goods (down 3.73%); 129,713 cases of trade fraud and tax fraud (up 4.51%); 5,464 cases of trafficking of counterfeit goods, poor quality goods, and goods infringing intellectual property rights (up 48%); VND14,865.347 billion was remitted to the State (up 17.30%); and there were 616 cases of criminal prosecution (down 4.05%) with 724 defendants (up 0.56%).

Trafficking and illegal cross-border transportation of drugs, firecrackers, cigarettes, and wildlife emerged on all routes and areas such as Dien Bien, Son La, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Da Nang, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, An Giang, Kien Giang…

Illicit trade and transportation of sugar, gold, and foreign currency also took place across the borders of Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Tay Ninh, Long An, An Giang, Kien Giang...;

Illegal mining, trading, smuggling, and transportation of minerals took place in the provinces and cities of Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Phu Tho, Hai Phong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Ho City Chi Minh, Tien Giang, An Giang…

On the other hand, smuggling and illegal transportation of petroleum still took place in the South Central, Southeast and Southwest seas.

In the domestic market, activities of taking advantage of the e-commerce environment and social networking sites to buy, sell, transport, and store prohibited goods, smuggled goods, goods of unknown origin, fake goods, imitation goods, and goods infringing intellectual property rights were still complicated in the central and urban areas of provinces and cities.

In addition, illegal trading of value-added invoices in provinces and cities such as Hai Phong, Lang Son, Hai Duong, Hanoi, Ha Nam, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Da Nang, Binh Phuoc , Ho Chi Minh City increased.

At the conference, under the direction of Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc and Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Duy Ngoc, representatives of ministries, central and local agencies such as the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assigned, the People's Committees of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong City, Nghe An, the General Department of Customs, the Directorate of Market Surveillance, the Border Guard Command... discussed and focused on evaluating the results as well as tasks for 2024.

Participating at the conference, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc - Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee 389 recognized the achievements that the competent authorities have achieved recently in the fight against smuggling and trade fraud and counterfeit goods.

Recently, the State authorities have worked together to fight and prosecute many large-scale cases.

Typically, the Customs presided over and coordinated with others to seize up to 2.8 tons of various drugs and hundreds kg of ivory.

It is worth mentioning that many new and sophisticated tricks of drug criminals have been discovered by the authorities such as hiding in microwave ovens, mixing in cereals, hiding in ice cream makers, wooden cutting boards...

Minister Ho Duc Phoc acknowledged the authorities for their efforts to overcome difficulties to complete assigned tasks.

Speaking at the conference, Director General of the General Department of Customs Nguyen Van Can said that the Customs agency is a member of the Government Steering Committee 138 and the National Steering Committee 389. Through the anti-smuggling, the Customs sector has learned many lessons that can be applied in the coming year. That is the efficiency of information sharing between authorities from central to local levels.

"There are anti-drug cases that require information soon. The leaders of the Ministry of Finance and the leaders of the Ministry of Public Security have agreed with the Customs and Police in information sharing to get high results", said Director General Nguyen Van Can.

Also at the conference, Directorate of the Market Surveillance Tran Huu Linh shared about the problem of counterfeit goods in the online environment, and proposed some solutions.

Unit 6 under Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department tackles major drug-related crimes VCN - In 2023, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Unit (Unit 6) under the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department ...

The leader of the Directorate of Market Surveillance also requested local authorities to direct competent forces in the area to strengthen supervision of warehouses, especially during the peak period of the Lunar New Year to strengthen inspections before, during and after the Lunar New Year.