PM orders crackdown on smuggling ahead of Tet
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Monday urged anti-smuggling agencies to step up efforts to battle smuggling over borders which usually sees a surge ahead of Tet (the Lunar New Year).
He ordered Central Steering Committee 127, provincial authorities, and related ministries to tighten surveillance in vulnerable areas and deal severely with cases of smuggling and fake goods.
The vulnerable areas include the Chinese border in Lang Son Province and the Cambodian border in Ha Tinh and Tay Ninh, and the Lao border in Quang Tri, all considered smuggling hot spots.
The PM also ordered the committee to liaise closely with local authorities to identify routes and methods used by smugglers to haul goods over the borders and deliver fake goods.
“Each agency has to make its own plans to prevent trading in fake items and other kinds of fraud involving essential items like animal feed, medicines, and food and high-tax goods like alcohol, beer, and tobacco,” he said.
They would also have to ensure wholesalers do not hoard essential goods to push up prices during Tet or add fake products to genuine ones, he said.
He ordered the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development and Health to keep a close eye on imported meats, vegetables, fruits and fast foods to ensure hygiene and safety.
He called on the media to expose smuggling.
Tet, the biggest festival for Vietnamese, falls on February 3 this time. — VNS