Authorised forces conduct a random check at a food and beverage shop in HCM City’s District 1 to fight against fake and smuggled goods. — VNA/VNS Photo Thành Chung

HCM CITY — HCM City authorities have seized more than 36,350 smuggled and counterfeited goods and imposed fines of about VNĐ7 billion (US$301,600) for violations after its coordination plan No15 was launched last year in May.

The national steering committee for tackling smuggling, trade fraud and fake goods (Steering Committee 389), the General Department of Market Surveillance under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the HCM City Steering Committee 389 held a conference last Friday to review the results of the coordination plan No15.

Đàm Thanh Thế, chief of the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee 389, said the coordination plan had achieved positive results.

Government agencies have worked closely together to monitor the situation, verify information, conduct surprise inspections and handle violations in the city.

A numerous number of warehouses were discovered and fined for storing smuggled goods that had unknown origin or were counterfeit as well as goods infringing intellectual property rights.

The HCM City Steering Committee 389 received and verified 26 information sources related to illegal trading, transportation and storage of smuggled goods, and storage of illegal imported products of unclear origin and counterfeit goods.

The General Department of Market Surveillance collaborated with the city’s Department of Market Surveillance to check 11 organisations and individuals, temporarily seized material evidence worth VNĐ2.3 billion ($99,000), and imposed fines of VNĐ332 million ($14,300) for violations.

Some new kinds of scams have emerged in the city.

For example, enterprises and individuals took advantage of the management and use of State assets such as land, factories and warehouses to illegally lease them, creating favourable conditions for renters to use these places for gathering and storing banned goods, illegally-imported goods, and goods of unclear origin.

In addition, many people exploited the State’s open policies on entry and exit of passengers and crew members at ports in the city’s port cluster, and at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, to illegally smuggle and transport prohibited goods (drugs, addictive substances, and wild animals), high-value goods (gold, silver, foreign currencies, watches and phones) and banned and fake goods.

Thế said that the cooperation No15 plan could become an outstanding model of coordination between central agencies and localities in the fight against trade fraud and smuggled fake and low-quality goods.

“We will continue the cooperation in the coming time and hope that other localities will make cooperation plans with us,” he said.

The National Steering Committee 389 awarded certificates of merit to the HCM City' Market Management Department, the city police’s Department of Economic Security and seven individuals with outstanding achievements in the coordination plan. — VNS