Market Management - Key Force Against Smuggling and Trade Fraud

The Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development has been officially transferred from the Ministry of Industry and Trade to the Provincial/Municipal People's Committees, in accordance with Resolution 18-NQ/TW of the 12th Party Central Committee. This transfer aligns with ongoing reforms aimed at streamlining and enhancing the efficiency of the political apparatus.

Mr. Tran Huu Linh, Director of the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, addresses the event

E-commerce violations surge 266% in 2024

After more than six years of operation under the vertical model (2018-2025), the market watchdog force has made outstanding achievements in market inspection and control, demonstrated by the identification and handling of many major violations and the elimination of many smuggling rings, counterfeit and knock-off productions to keep the market stable and protect domestic production and consumption.

Accordingly, from October 2018 to present, the force has probed into 665,168 cases, sanctioned 417,604 administrative violations, and transferred 911 cases to relevant agencies for consideration and criminal prosecution. The total amount of violations handled was VND5,542 billion, of which VND3,376 billion was paid to the state budget and VND2,166 billion was the value of confiscated exhibits and means of administrative violations.

Active inspection and timely prevention of violations in e-commerce was one impressive activity of the market management force. Given the increase in counterfeit goods and consumer protection in e-commerce, the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development coordinated with relevant agencies to launch the Project on anti-counterfeiting and consumer protection in e-commerce to 2025.

In 2024 alone, the market watchdog detected and handled 3,124 violations in the e-commerce environment (an increase of 266% over 2023) and transferred four cases to investigation agencies for further action and imposed administrative fines of VND48 billion (up 220%). The value of infringed goods was over VND34 billion (up 440%).

Notably, the market management force showed that there were no forbidden areas in the fight against counterfeit goods when it directly attacked celebrities and famous TikTokers who traded in counterfeit goods, smuggled goods and items of unknown origin. The market watchdog probed a warehouse run by TikToker Mai Ly, inspected the business location and livestreaming space run by TikToker Phan Thuy Tien in Hanoi who sold products of Zenpali Group Joint Stock Company to seize tens of thousands of infringed products, and inspected warehouses of goods of unknown origins sold mainly online via livestreaming in Tuyen Quang city, Thanh Hoa city, Ca Mau province and many other provinces and cities.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien presents transfer documents to local market management departments

No change in tasks after the model is changed

Decree 40 stipulates that the Ministry of Industry and Trade is responsible for market management. The decree also clearly stipulates that the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development inspects and provides direct guidance, leads and coordinates with central and local agencies in the fight against fake goods. It also directs, supervises and inspects the market management force nationwide.

Director Tran Huu Linh clearly noted that changing the working model requires avoiding local isolation, ensuring connectivity and coordination between localities and the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the fight against merchandise counterfeiting, smuggling and trade fraud.

Emphasizing the key responsibilities of the market management force in the upcoming period, Mr. Tran Huu Linh, Director of the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, said that the force is tasked with directing, guiding, and overseeing the issuance and use of badges, symbols, insignia, signs, and uniforms. Additionally, it is responsible for establishing title standards for leaders of sub-departments, divisions, and teams, defining standards for work equipment, and developing professional training programs to enhance the skills of market controllers.

In the face of market heat, he also noted existing difficulties that needed to be addressed in the coming time: Increasingly sophisticated and complicated violations, more counterfeit goods and knockoffs that infringe on industrial property and intellectual property rights. Besides violations in the traditional environment, e-commerce has posed many challenges to the force.

"There are changes in the organizational model, but the color and responsibility of the market management force remain unchanged. This requires closer coordination between the Provincial/Municipal People’s Committees and the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development as well as the Ministry of Industry and Trade,” Linh emphasized.

Nguyen Manh Quyen, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, said that Hanoi signed the handover minutes from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and immediately assigned relevant bodies to consult on the organization of the operating apparatus and complete the functions and tasks for the Hanoi Market Management Department. To date, the city successfully took over Hanoi Market Management Department.

He recommended that the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, together with localities, build a coordination mechanism in the fight against fake goods and create a favorable legal corridor framework.

Leading the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeits

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said that the market management force has become the core in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the domestic market. At the same time, the force has affirmed its important role in stabilizing the market and protecting domestic production and consumption.

“The effective handling of many complicated issues and cases has reinforced the trust of the Party, the government and the people in the market management force, improved the health of the market, and created a fair environment for companies,” he added.

The termination of the organizational model of the Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance and the transfer of local Market Management Departments to Provincial/Municipal People’s Committees for management are aimed to enhance responsiveness and flexibility, closely grasp market situations, and respond more quickly and effectively to fluctuations in the local market.

On February 26, 2025, the Government issued Decree 40 on functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which stipulates: “The Ministry of Industry and Trade is a government agency that administers industry and trade, including market management.” Accordingly, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is assigned by the Government to control market management. The market management force continues to inspect and control the market, combat smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods and protect consumer rights.

Therefore, the transfer will not change the core mission of the market management force. However, the transition to a new operating model will require the force to adapt quickly and be ready to innovate working methods to catch up with the new mission.

By Le Hien, Vietnam Business Forum