Authorities urged to help fight fraud

City and provincial authorities should strengthen inspection of key products to help curb inflation and stimulate consumption, Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang said.

Each locality should draw up inspection plans to suit their own areas, Hoang told a two-day conference on anti-trafficking, counterfeit goods and trade fraud which ended yesterday.

He asked local steering committees to be more aggressive in controlling prices and the quality of products such as steel, petroleum, tobacco, wood, livestock and poultry to prevent speculation.

Hoang said local authorities should make businesses and consumers more aware of legal issues related to prices and quality.

Ministry market control department head Nguyen Hung Dung said the department would check branding, trading registration and business activities in the likes of gold and foreign exchange to control speculation.

Dung said the department would also strengthen border management to curb smuggling.

Department statistics show that of more than 160,000 cases investigated, 77,500 fines were issued for a total of VND257.5 billion (US$13.5 million) for trafficking, consuming forbidden goods and speculating. — VNS

Tags: Vietnam fake goods, Vietnam goods