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Authorities prepare to crack down on smuggling, counterfeit goods
Relevant agencies and localities have been asked to conduct investigations of domestic prices to ensure stabilisation as well as prevent violators from taking advantage of the "Vietnamese people use Vietnamese goods" programme to bring smuggled and counterfeit goods into the market.
Speaking at an online conference on Thursday to review last year's activities against smuggling, fake goods and trade fraud, and set tasks for this year, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said preventing and fighting violations were two of the most important tasks to ensure the country's stable economy and promote production.
Hai asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to promulgate documents that help overcome legal loopholes in policies and mechanisms, and improve market forecasts, management capacity and solutions to responding to unexpected market changes.
Director of MoIT's market management department Nguyen Hung Duong said last year, relevant agencies from provinces and cities throughout the country conducted investigations of 470,000 violations and handled nearly 185,000 cases of illegal transportation of contraband imitation goods and trade fraud to collect a total VND3.2 trillion (US$152 million) in fines.
However, smuggling and trade fraud remained very complicated in the border provinces of Lang Son, Quang Ninh and Lao Cai as well as at sea and river ports, and by air, post and railway, Dung said.
He added that there had also been an increase in trade fraud and intellectual property violations.
Smuggling and trade fraud through borders were expected to increase in terms of larger and more sophisticated operations, though the overall number of cases was likely to fall, he said.
Smugglers could take advantage of tax exemption policies offered to residents in border areas, receipt management, import-export policies and preferential policies at border gate economic zones to slip counterfeits into Viet Nam.
The department said most smugglers would focus on high-value goods including tobacco, wine, electrical goods, coal and wood.
Vice Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Nguyen Huy Tuong said last year the city handled 1,547 smuggling cases and collected around VND100 billion ($4.7 million) in fines.
Tuong added that 60 to 70 per cent of goods circulating in the city were from China.
He said strict measures should be taken at borders to prevent smuggling, adding that localities should co-operate to prevent smuggling along their transportation routes.
The city should focus on specific traffic routes including national highway 1A, 1B, railways and Dong Xuan, Ha Vy and Ninh Hiep markets.
Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang said this year, the ministry would work together with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Finance Ministry to finalise a national programme to control the smuggling of counterfeit goods and trade fraud in the 2011-15 period.
It would also ask the Government to issue a decree on administrative punishment for the smuggling of fake goods.
He said customs officers, border guards and maritime police also needed to enhance control over the border provinces and economic border gates.
"It is essential to take more effective measures to curb prices, stabilise the market and control inflation," he said.
The Government should create plans to prevent illegal speculation on goods to raise prices while strictly controlling mineral exploitation, iron and steel production, and trading in substandard poultry products and cosmetics.
"In addition, it is necessary to inform all businesses and consumers about the law," he said.
The department would review difficulties that face the prevention of smuggling and trade fraud activities and report to the Government next month.
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