Exports and imports maintain surplus as customs tighten anti-smuggling measures

Exports and imports maintain surplus as customs tighten anti-smuggling measures

Alongside encouraging trade results, smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods remain complex, particularly on key maritime and border routes.

Import and export activities at Đình Vũ Port in Hải Phòng City. — VNA/VNS Photo

According to the General Department of Customs under the Ministry of Finance, export turnover in July alone hit $42.29 billion (US$1.87 million), a 7 per cent increase from the previous month, while imports rose 9.1 per cent to $40 billion.

The trade balance for July recorded a surplus of $2.29 billion, down 20 per cent from June.

Budget revenue from import-export activities in July was VNĐ38.1 trillion, slightly down 2.7 per cent from June. Accumulated revenue in the first seven months reached VNĐ261.3 trillion, equivalent to 63.6 per cent of the annual target and up 9.1 per cent year-on-year, reflecting the positive recovery of trade and budget collection.

Alongside these encouraging results, smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods remain complex, particularly on key maritime and border routes.

From June 15 to July 14, 2025, customs forces detected and handled 1,790 violations with goods valued at VNĐ1.4 trillion, collecting VNĐ76.53 billion for the State budget, initiating two criminal cases and transferring 14 cases to other authorities.

Maritime routes accounted for more than 50 per cent, with 899 cases concentrated at major ports such as Cát Lái, Cái Mép and Nam Hải Đình Vũ. Common violations involved diesel oil, anthracite coal, cosmetics, food, seafood and petrol.

Land routes recorded 669 cases, mainly along the Việt Nam–China and Việt Nam–Cambodia borders, with high-value goods including foreign currency, cigarettes, mobile phones, fireworks and refined white sugar.

Notably, smuggling through e-commerce has been on the rise in both scale and frequency, especially for items affecting consumer health such as food, pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. Some export consignments were found to have falsified Vietnamese origin to ship to the US, including garlic, electric soldering irons and folding chairs.

Drug trafficking also remains a pressing concern. In July 2025, customs forces, both independently and in coordination with other agencies, uncovered 22 cases, seizing around 100 kilograms of narcotics. From December 15, 2024 to July 14, 2025, the sector handled 125 cases involving 152 suspects, confiscating approximately 2.1 tonnes of drugs. 

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