Police in the central province of Quang Binh seized more than 10,200 smuggled toys and 700 plastic guns early last April. — VNA/VNS Photo

Binh, also head of the National Steering Committee 389 for Anti-smuggling, Counterfeit Goods and Trade Fraud, said at the committee’s meeting on Thursday that in the first half of this year, authorities, agencies and the committee did a good job in tackling corruption, particularly in cases relating to land management and public investment.

However, there remained a group of corrupt State employees who abetted and covered up crimes, he said, adding that they would be strictly punished.

Deputy Minister of Public Security, Senior Lieutenant General Le Quy Vuong reported at the meeting that in the first half of this year, nearly 75,300 cases of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods were detected, down 12 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Criminal investigations and legal proceedings were launched in 1,128 cases involving 1,346 suspects. The numbers of cases and suspects reduced 14 per cent and 13 per cent respectively compared with the same period last year.

Cracking down on smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods helped add nearly VND11.3 trillion (US$490 million) to the State budget.

As many as 23,465 crimes were reported in the last six months, a year-on-year reduction of 8.4 per cent, Vuong said, adding that cybercrimes were more and more complicated and hidden.

He said the public was very concerned over violations relating to speculation, smuggling and producing fake medical products during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly bidding and purchasing of medical equipment serving disease prevention and control.   

Nguyen Van Can, director-general of Vietnam Customs said that early this month, customs officers found 50,000 Chinese bikes and electronic bikes labelled as Made-in-Vietnam products for export to the US.

Notably, customs also found a company that illegally falsified certificate of origin (C/O) and issued it to 30 exporting companies with the value of exported goods worth VND600 billion ($26 million) while the company was not authorised to grant C/O.

“This kind of trade fraud is seen for the first time in Vietnam,” Can said, adding that customs and economic police were working together and would soon launch legal proceedings in the case.  VNS

Vietnam eyes sustained fight against trade fraud, cross-border smuggling

Drastic measures are needed to sustain the fight against trade fraud and smuggling of goods into Vietnam from Cambodia, speakers told a conference in HCM City on Thursday.

Prime Minister orders intensifying fight against crime, smuggling, fraud

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested that breakthroughs be made in 2020 in the fight against crime, smuggling and trade fraud at a national conference on January 2.