Identifying key smuggling routes, locations and goods

Chief of the Permanent Office of the National Steering Committee 389 Le Thanh Hai

What content will be focused in the plan 119 of the National Steering Committee 389?

During the turbulent Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, especially from July 2021 until now, there have been many difficulties for competent forces when focusing on pandemic prevention and preventing smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeiting. It is forecasted that the demand for raw materials used for goods production at the end of the year will increase along with the consumer demand for goods, which is the cause of the smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods outbreak. Therefore, the Director of the National Steering Committee 389 put Plan 119 into action.

Notably, the National Steering Committee of 389 specifies key areas, routes and items to focus on inspection and control. According to them, road and sea routes in the northern border provinces at risk include Quang Ninh, Lang Son and Lao Cai.

The Central region includes Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri.

The Southwest regions are An Giang, Kien Giang and Tay Ninh.

Inland they are focusing on areas where smuggled goods are gathered and then distributed to provinces, such as Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Dong Nai and Binh Duong.

Plan 119 also clearly assigns responsibilities to each ministry and sector, including the Ministry of Finance (Customs and Taxation forces), the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and The Ministry of Health.

The above forces will conduct inspections to fight and prevent goods that affect customs and traditions.

In addition, the Plan also focuses on communication, in order to promptly praise good examples, good people and good deeds; cases detected and handled by competent forces..., helping consumers to self-identify smuggled goods and trade frauds.

In order to effectively implement Plan 119, what specific topics and plans will be deployed to inspect and control the market?

To proactively control the situation, the National Steering Committee 389 asked the relevant authorities to proactively grasp the situation, strengthen exchange information, coordinate inspections and handle acts of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods. This will contribute to ensuring price stability, preventing and repelling the sale of banned goods, counterfeit goods and poor quality goods, especially essential items to serve people's needs during the Lunar New Year, as well as identifying and handling many other key areas.

At the same time, the Committee will develop a plan to organize and strengthen forces and vehicles, and maintain strict control on borderlines to prevent banned goods, counterfeit goods, and poor quality goods from being smuggled into the country.

In particular, it is necessary to focus on goods imported with high tax rates, as well as consumer goods during the Lunar New Year such as food, wine, beer, tobacco, confectionery, fruit and firecrackers, foreign currency, gasoline, livestock, poultry, electronic goods and many others.

What has the Standing Office of the 389 National Steering Committees done to improve the coordination efficiency of forces, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic?

Facing the complex situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Permanent Office advised the Director of the National Steering Committee 389 to direct ministries, sectors and localities to promote the application of science and technology in the fight against smuggling, contraband, trade fraud and counterfeit goods. As well as to strengthen coordination, connection, and information sharing appropriately. At the same time, they asked them to widely publicize the phone number and e-mail hotline of the 389 National Steering Committee and Steering Committees 389 at all levels, ensuring timely collection and handling of information from the public.

Ministries, sectors and localities need to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the direction of the National Steering Committee 389 on the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeiting. In particular, competent forces such as the Police, Customs, Market Surveillance and Border Guard need to coordinate more closely, especially in detecting, preventing acts of smuggling medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, food, supplementary foods, medicinal herbs, and traditional medicines.

In the near future, the Permanent Office will propose to establish interdisciplinary working groups to inspect and supervise competent forces and direct the coordination of forces in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeiting.