Bình Dương Province's authorities are inspecting a warehouse to detect and prevent smuggling activities. — VNA/VNS Photo

BÌNH DƯƠNG — Authorities in the southern province of Bình Dương will intensify inspections of storage facilities as part of a broader campaign to combat smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods following recent Government directives.

A delegation from the Standing Office of National Steering Committee 389, led by Deputy Chief Trần Đức Đông, held a working session with the province People’s Committee last week to assess local efforts and set priorities in line with Prime Ministerial Directive No. 13 and Official Telegram No. 65, both issued in May.

The meeting focused on reviewing enforcement results from the first five months of the year, identifying emerging hotspots and methods of violation, clarifying the responsibilities of agencies and individuals, and collecting recommendations from local authorities.

Despite not sharing a border with neighbouring countries, Bình Dương remains a critical logistics hub due to its dense warehouse network, strong transport infrastructure and high concentration of enterprises.

According to the People’s Committee, this has made the province a transit point for illicit goods, with smuggling and fraud becoming increasingly prevalent.

In the first five months of 2025 local enforcement agencies conducted nearly 2,000 inspections, handled 465 violations and contributed over VNĐ18 billion (US$727,000) to the State budget.

Major offences were found in urban areas such as Thuận An, Dĩ An and Thủ Dầu Một, and involved smuggled goods, trade fraud and food safety violations.

Authorities said perpetrators have become more sophisticated, exploiting social media, e-commerce platforms and delivery services to distribute banned and counterfeit goods.

The use of fake accounts and warehouses hidden within residential areas have complicated inspection efforts, they said.

Legal loopholes, overlapping regulations and the absence of clear guidelines for sensitive goods – such as tobacco, petrol and dietary supplements – were cited as key challenges.

Intra-governmental coordination remains weak, and staffing is stretched thin.

The rapid expansion of e-commerce, coupled with a lack of digital monitoring tools, has made it easier for offenders to erase evidence.

Looking ahead, provincial leaders expect the situation to worsen, especially in the e-commerce sphere.

Bình Dương will launch a peak inspection campaign in line with Government directives, strengthen inter-sectoral coordination, raise public awareness, and strictly handle violators.

Colonel Nguyễn Văn Hùng, head of the provincial Police Department for Corruption, Economic Crimes and Smuggling, said 163 violations were uncovered in the past five months, with 175 individuals penalised.

They included 102 cases related to smuggling and counterfeit goods, with the items seized valued at VNĐ65 billion (US$2.63 million).

Authorities slapped fines in 139 cases and launched criminal proceedings in 17 others.

The cases involved counterfeits of consumer goods such as Ensure milk powder, OMO detergent and Alba products.

In one case, fake milk was produced using raw materials from HCM City and packaging from Cambodia and warehouses rented to avoid detection.

The frequent repurposing of storage facilities and unregulated input activities have made oversight difficult.

The police also found 11 illegal firework trading cases, seizing 354kg of fireworks and charging 22 suspects.

Common offences include smuggling, storing and transporting prohibited goods and those without origins.

Offenders often exploit business registrations, social media and online platforms to trade in consumer products, supplements and cosmetics, posing major challenges to law enforcement.

Authorities are seeing new methods emerge, including fraudulent use of temporary import–re-export schemes, origin falsification and siphoning of transit goods to evade taxes.

Perpetrators increasingly livestream sales and use tech-based delivery services to avoid detection.

Inspections have also been hindered by the lack of representation from brand owners in Việt Nam or their unwillingness to cooperate due to commercial concerns.

There is no effective mechanism to monitor online accounts and e-commerce platforms, while changes to the organisational structure of enforcement agencies since March 1 have disrupted operations.

But Bình Dương plans to tighten control over warehouse operations, enhance management of goods inflow, boost coordination between relevant agencies, strengthen communications, and improve personnel capacity in the fight against smuggling and counterfeiting.

Vice chairman of the Bình Dương People’s Committee, Bùi Minh Trí, called on central authorities to allocate more personnel to enforcement agencies, especially the Market Surveillance Department, pointing out that Bình Dương currently ranks 57th in the country out of 63 provinces and cities in terms of staffing.

He also called for stronger inter-agency cooperation, accountability and strict enforcement to ensure the effectiveness of anti-smuggling measures.

Đông acknowledged the progress made by Bình Dương in the first five months and highlighted the need for local Steering Committee 389 units to maintain close adherence to national directives.

He urged localities to enhance intelligence gathering, adapt enforcement strategies, crack down on hotspots, and maintain timely reporting. — VNS