Cases of smuggling and counterfeit goods increase 57%

Competent forces checked violated goods

This contributed to the State Budget more than VND 8,630.7 billion (up nearly 250% over the same period), prosecuted 731 cases (decreasing by 10% from the same period) and 891 subjects (down 9% over the same period).

According to National Steering Committee 389, although forces concentrated to fight drastically and destroyed many smuggling lines in land border areas adjancent to China, the smuggling activities were still complex.

In northern border areas including Lang Son, Lao Cai, Quang Ninh, Cao Bang, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Hai Phong and Hanoi, the situation of smuggling and illegal transport of goods and currencies across borders, manufacturing and trading of banned goods was still complicated, especially taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic, so many people have speculated, increased domestic selling price of face masks and exported them illegally to foreign countries to earn profits.

Major smuggled goods are consumer goods (cloth, clothes anf shoes), confectionery, cigarettes, firecrackers and pharmaceuticals from China to Vietnam.

On the border and area of the Central Highlands provinces, smuggling activities are focused mainly on trading foreign wines, sugar, cigarettes, cosmetics, consumer goods, forest products, firecrackers and children's toys, as well as smuggling and illeally transporting products of endangered wild animals (pangolin scales and ivory products) from Laos and Cambodia into Vietnam.

Notably, illegal drug transportation also took place in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue provinces.

In some southwestern provinces such as Long An, Dong Thap and An Giang, with the complex terrain with rivers and canals, smugglers took advantage of midnight and used transportation such as carrying, using motorbike or motorboats with high capacity and moving at high speed, so the arrangement of arrests faced many difficulties.

The main items were cigarettes, sugar, used electronics and electrical refrigeration and consumer goods.