Customs uncover nearly 8,900 violations in six months, online smuggling on the rise

Customs uncover nearly 8,900 violations in six months, online smuggling on the rise

Smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods remain complicated, with a rising trend along sea routes and land borders, although no major hotspots have emerged.

Lào Cai Customs inspects imported goods at the Kim Thanh International Road Border Gate, Lào Cai province. — VNA/VNS Photo

Vietnam Customs on Monday reported that from October 15, 2025 to March 15, 2026, customs forces nationwide detected, seized and handled 8,879 violations, with an estimated total value of more than VNĐ8 trillion (US$304 million).

Of the cases, 83 showed signs of criminal offences, while 8,796 were administrative violations. Customs authorities initiated legal proceedings in 10 cases, transferred 55 others to competent agencies for legal proceedings, and are continuing to investigate 18 cases with criminal indications.

According to the department, smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods remain complicated, with a rising trend along sea routes and land borders, although no major hotspots have emerged.

Competent forces have tightened inspections and supervision of import-export activities at border gates and key areas, enabling timely detection and handling of violations.

Common offences include the illegal trading and transportation of prohibited goods and false customs declarations. Violating goods are mainly high-profit items such as narcotics and firecrackers; imported alcohol, cigarettes, confectionery and dietary supplements; counterfeit goods in terms of trademarks and quality; as well as food, agricultural and aquatic products of unclear origin that fail to meet safety standards.

Notably, there has been a surge in the abuse of e-commerce platforms and social media, including Shopee, Lazada, Sendo, Facebook, TikTok, Zalo and YouTube, along with postal and express delivery services, to smuggle and trade counterfeit, low-quality and untraceable goods using increasingly sophisticated methods.

Sea routes continued to account for the largest share of violations, with 4,956 cases, or 55.8 per cent of the total. Most incidents were recorded at major seaports under the management of regional customs branches.

Several violations involved infringements of intellectual property rights, including trademark violations, false declarations regarding legal status and scope of industrial property protection, breaches of goods labelling regulations, and the import of products failing to meet required standards and technical regulations.

On land routes, authorities detected 2,569 cases, accounting for 28.9 per cent, mainly along the Việt Nam–China and Việt Nam–Cambodia borders. Smugglers have exploited trade facilitation policies and preferential treatment for border residents to illegally transport goods, concealing them on their bodies or in luggage. Common items included foreign currencies, cigarettes, mobile phones, frozen food, gold and e-cigarettes, with an upward trend.

Meanwhile, air routes saw 423 cases, or 4.76 per cent, with an estimated value of VNĐ272.9 billion, mostly at international airports such as Nội Bài, Tân Sơn Nhất and Đà Nẵng. Violations detected via postal and express delivery services totalled 703, or 7.92 per cent, worth approximately VNĐ410.4 billion. 

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