The HCM City Market Management Department carried out 10,560 raids in the first half of the year and uncovered 3,037 cases of smuggling, trade fraud and fake goods.

Nguyen Van Bach, deputy head of the department, said fines of over VND63.5 billion (US$2.8 million) were collected from 2,211 offenders, a year-on-year fall of 20.5 per cent in the number of cases.

But the department is hamstrung by contradictory regulations, according to Bach.

For instance, the Government’s Decree 124 states penalties are based on the value of the goods found flouting laws, but Decree 176/2013 limits fines at VND20 million in the healthcare sector.

The Government should issue appropriate decrees to amend or replace existing ones, he said.

At a meeting held in HCM City on June 26 to review market management efforts in the first half of the year and set tasks for the second, the department asked the city government for a 5,000sq.m warehouse to store seized goods.

It said 1,000-1,500sq.m would be required for fertilisers and chemicals.

Pham Thanh Kien, director of the city Department of Industry and Trade, said in the second half of the year the market management task force would have to step up the fight against smuggling and trade fraud as well as the production and distribution of fakes and low-quality goods, especially drugs, cosmetics and health supplements.

He also called on the department to collaborate with district authorities to disseminate information to dissuade people from distributing or consuming fake and low-quality goods.

Bach said in the second half market management teams in localities bordering other provinces needed to collaborate with their counterparts there to combat smuggling and fake goods, especially tobacco and sugar.

His department would intensify checks of shopping centres, trade fairs, traditional markets, and shops and crack down on fake and pirated goods, he promised. — VNS