Vietnam intensifies anti-smuggling drive as year-end shopping demand surges
VOV.VN - Vietnamese authorities are intensifying efforts to combat smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods as year-end shopping demand surges ahead of the Lunar New Year, raising risks of market disruptions and consumer harm.
Mounting challenges for regulators
The final months of the year, traditionally the busiest period for retail activity, coincide with major promotional campaigns and holiday shopping for Christmas and the 2026 New Year, creating opportunities for increasingly sophisticated smuggling and counterfeiting networks.
In Hanoi, market surveillance forces inspected 2,498 cases in November alone, handling 2,447 violations, including nearly 250 cases involving banned or smuggled goods, almost 200 counterfeit-related cases, and more than 2,000 trade fraud violations. Total fines and confiscations exceeded VND330 billion (approx. US$13 million).
Nationwide, Vietnam Customs uncovered 15,121 smuggling and trade fraud cases in the first ten months of 2025, with violations valued at more than VND710 billion, according to official data. Authorities flagged illegal cross-border trafficking of gold and foreign currency as a growing concern.
In November alone, customs officers intercepted a transit shipment from China to Cambodia at Huu Nghi International Border Gate, seizing more than 2,000 counterfeit handbags and footwear bearing luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes and Crocs.
Officials said illicit trade has increasingly shifted from traditional markets to e-commerce platforms and social media, including schemes exploiting consumer trust in online influencers. Counterfeit goods are now commonly found in high-value categories such as fashion, cosmetics, dietary supplements, milk products and healthcare items.
In one recent case in Hanoi, authorities seized nearly 6,500 garments of unknown origin suspected of infringing brands including Nike, Adidas and Puma, sold through e-commerce platforms and social media accounts.
During the first nine months of 2025, market surveillance forces handled 4,052 violations on digital platforms, imposed fines of nearly VND63 billion, removed 44,446 products and shut down 12,414 online stores, reflecting what officials described as the growing complexity of illicit trade in cyberspace.
“No safe zones” enforcement
Authorities said enforcement efforts in the coming weeks will focus on high-demand goods during the holiday season, including food, alcohol, tobacco, fireworks, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements, with inspections concentrated at border crossings, logistics hubs, wholesale markets and major transport routes.
Nguyen Duc Le, an official in charge of market management at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said stronger coordination from local governments is essential, particularly in monitoring warehouses, distribution hubs and key e-commerce channels.
On December 8, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, head of Vietnam’s National Steering Committee against Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Counterfeit Goods, approved a nationwide peak enforcement plan covering the period before, during and after the 2026 Lunar New Year.
The plan calls for tighter controls across land, sea and air borders, as well as online marketplaces, targeting banned goods, counterfeit pharmaceuticals and food, intellectual property violations, and high-tax or regulated imports.
The government has reiterated its commitment to what it described as a “zero-tolerance” approach, particularly toward fake medicines and food products, citing risks to public health, consumer rights and economic stability.
Crypto investment fraud ring busted, over VND2.6 trillion in transactions
VOV.VN - The police in northern Hung Yen province have dismantled a large-scale cryptocurrency fraud ring operating via a fake trading platform called “Toptrade1,” arresting nine suspects and freezing 22 related bank accounts.
