Viet Nam steps up grassroots crackdown on smuggling and counterfeit goods

Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son signed Decision No. 48/QD-TTg dated January 9, 2026, amending and supplementing Decision No. 389/QD-TTg of March 19, 2014 on the establishment of the National Steering Committee against smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeit goods.

Under the revised decision, the National Steering Committee has been formally restructured to enhance its effectiveness. The Committee is headed by a Deputy Prime Minister designated by the Prime Minister. Its Standing Deputy Head is the Minister of Finance, while the Deputy Heads include the Minister of Industry and Trade, a Deputy Minister of National Defense, and a Deputy Minister of Public Security.

Decision 48 also revises provisions on the functions, tasks and powers of the Committee. The body is defined as an inter-disciplinary coordination mechanism tasked with assisting the Prime Minister in resolving major cross-sectoral issues related to the prevention and combat of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods nationwide. It will also help the Prime Minister coordinate actions among ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached bodies and relevant organizations, while promoting scientific research and international cooperation in this field.

The restructuring comes as the Government rolls out a nationwide anti-smuggling campaign running from December 16, 2025 to March 15, 2026, ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year. The campaign focuses on tightening inspections at warehouses and digital platforms to curb trade fraud and the circulation of counterfeit goods.

Priority areas include the prevention of prohibited items such as narcotics, weapons, firecrackers, e-cigarettes, and endangered and rare wildlife and plant species. Authorities are required to step up checks on counterfeit and substandard products, particularly pharmaceuticals, food, dietary supplements, cosmetics and traditional medicine ingredients, which pose direct risks to public health.

Official data shows the scale of the challenge. In the first ten months of 2025, Viet Nam Customs uncovered 15,121 cases of smuggling and trade fraud nationwide, with violations valued at more than VND710 billion. Illegal cross-border trafficking of gold and foreign currency has been flagged as a growing concern.

Officials note that illicit trade has increasingly shifted from traditional markets to e-commerce platforms and social media. Many schemes exploit consumer trust in online influencers to market counterfeit or substandard products. High-value items such as fashion goods, cosmetics, dietary supplements, milk products and healthcare items are now among the most commonly counterfeited.

With the new legal framework and an expanded steering committee system reaching down to the grassroots level, authorities say Viet Nam is determined to close enforcement gaps, adapt to new forms of illicit trade and better protect consumers and the legitimate business environment./.