Hanoi (VNA) – The National Steering Committee on the Prevention andControl of Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Counterfeit Goods (National SteeringCommittee 389) has launched a peak-season anti-smuggling, commercial fraud andcounterfeit goods campaign ahead of the upcoming lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

Set to run fromDecember 1, 2018 to February 28, 2019, the campaign aims to intensify the instructionand inspection work by the National Steering Committee 389 as well as theSteering Committees 389 of ministries, sectors and localities on smuggling,commercial fraud and counterfeit goods prevention and control.

The steering committeesof ministries, sectors and localities must follow directions of the Government,Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the National Steering Committee 389, andurge relevant units to step up the fight against smuggling, commercial frauddand counterfeit goods, especially during the lunar New Year festival, whichwill last from February 2-10.

The campaignfocuses on hot spots for smuggling, commercial frauds and counterfeit goods,while intensifying inspections at border gates, seaports and airports.

Agencies andrelevant units shall intensify patrols, inspections and controls to prevent thecrimes.

The Ministry ofPublic Security should direct its units and police forces in localities todetect places where smuggled and counterfeit goods are gathered, andinvestigate and start legal proceedings in cases related to smuggling, tradefrauds and counterfeit goods.

The NationalSteering Committee 389 asked the Ministry of National Defence to instruct theBorder Guard High Command to monitor border areas and work with the customsforce to patrol roads where violations are likely to occur.

Meanwhile, theVietnam Coast Guard was told to intensify patrols in Vietnamese waters,especially in the northeastern, central and southwestern regions.

The NationalSteering Committee 389 also urged the Ministry of Industry and Trade to workwith the People’s Committees of centrally-run provinces and cities to monitorthe supply and demand for goods to ensure enough commodities during the lunarNew Year holiday.

The Ministries ofAgriculture and Rural Development, Health, and Science and Technology wererequested to coordinate in product quarantine to ensure food safety and avoidharming public health, and intensify management over the quality and origin ofpharmaceutical products, cosmetics, and functional food

The National SteeringCommittee 389 also called for information campaigns in newspapers, radio andmass media to facilitate the effectiveness of the fight against smuggling,commercial fraud and counterfeit goods.-VNA