With
goods flying off the shelves more often than not in the pre-Tet period many
people take this opportunity to smuggle and trade counterfeit and fake
products, which are potentially harmful to consumers’ health.
A VOV reporter interviewed Nguyen Hung Dung, head
of the Market Management Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade
about measures to combat smuggling, especially before the Lunar new Year
festival.
VOV: Does the Steering Board take any action against
smuggling, counterfeit products, and consumer fraud before Tet?
Mr Dung: The board has directed localities to
step up inspections and oversight. Before Tet, market managers will work with
relevant agencies and local authorities to control supermarkets, commercial
centres, and retail markets and take fruit and vegetable samples to check
pesticide content.
We have found that many imported packaged foods,
confectionary, and fruits from neighbouring countries are of unknown origin. We
have strengthened inspections to identify shops and restaurants which do not
have certificates of food hygiene and safety or sell substandard goods, such as
rotten nuts, dried fruits or dirty animal fat. We will deal in a timely fashion
with violations on measurement, brand names, codes, prices and industrial
property rights.
VOV: Can you tell us about the recent inspection
conducted by your department’s task force?
Mr Dung: The inspection was conducted from
January 15-28 by a market management task force. They dealt with 12,023 out of
15,895 cases, including 3,015 smuggling cases, 2,012 cases of trading
counterfeit or substandard products, 4,512 illegal trading cases, and 1,904
other cases, collecting more than VN28 billion. The task force also established
5 working groups to conduct inspections in certain key areas: Hanoi, Hai Phong,
Lang Son, Lao Cai, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Da Nang, Binh Dinh,
Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Ho Chi Minh City, An Giang, Long An and Tay Ninh.
We focused our inspections on essential commodities,
such as fruits, vegetables, processed food, wine, beet, beverages, oil and gas
as well as on business registration and distribution. We’re very pleased that
we did not find any speculation in goods in the recent inspection.
VOV: How does the steering board coordinate the
efforts of the relevant agencies?
Mr Dung: The Government established Central
Steering Board 127 to coordinate the work of relevant agencies, including
police, market managers, border guards and customs agents. Customs agents and
border guards manage border areas while the market managers and police are
responsible for inland areas. Police root out big gangs and market managers
inspect goods to ensure businesses operate in a lawful manner.
The Government has authorized the board to work
with relevant agencies to create regulations specifying the responsibilities of
each agency in managing the market. Twelve ministries will assume the main
duties while other ministries and provincial people’s committees will have to
work closely with the 12 ministries.
VOV: What new measures should we implement to
prevent smuggling, trading counterfeit products, and trade fraud?
Mr Dung: The fight against smuggling,
counterfeiting and fraud is very demanding so it needs the support of the whole
political system and the public in addition to the relevant agencies.
Businesses must be responsible for self-checking and barring counterfeit
products from their own distribution networks. Associations should closely work
with each other and help the relevant agencies do their assigned job.
Our investigations show that inspections and
oversight must be comprehensively and regularly implemented to be effective and
violations should be strictly and consistently punished.
