Ho Chi Minh City police on May 15 decided to prosecute Nguyen Thi Hien, a 39-year-old official from Saigon Port Customs Branch – Zone 1, for smuggling. This move is part of the expansion of the case involving Tran Quoc Khanh, director of Busan Company’s branch, and Tran Ngoc Dang, who were arrested in May 2023.
Police seized the smuggled goods. Photo: CA
The investigation agency initially determined that during her tenure, Ms. Hien violated customs procedures and abused her position to falsify conditions for imported goods, facilitating smuggling activities.
Hien is accused of colluding with Tran Quoc Khanh to illegally import 4,171 boxes of products, including milk and nutritional foods, from the US to Vietnam. The total value of the smuggled goods is estimated at over VND 3.4 billion, including Abbott Ensure Original Vanilla Shake, Horizon Organic Liquid Whole Milk, and Glucerna Original Homemade Shake Vanilla.
Previously, in May 2023, Ho Chi Minh City police arrested Tran Quoc Khanh and Tran Ngoc Dang for investigation of smuggling.
According to the case file, on the evening of April 12, 2023, the Economic Police (PC03) of Ho Chi Minh City discovered a tractor truck in a vacant lot on Vo Chi Cong Street (Thu Duc City) with suspicious signs and proceeded to inspect it.
The inspection revealed that the container held 4,171 boxes of milk, exceeding the declared quantity by 521 boxes.
At the time of the inspection, the staff could not produce valid invoices and documents related to the shipment. Through interrogation, they confessed that the shipment was imported by Mr. Khanh from the US to Vietnam through the legal entity of Busan Company.
Notably, the product packaging had a clear English label: “Not to be sold in Vietnam or Mexico.” This group of products requires a registration certificate from the authorities for importation into Vietnam.
However, to distribute the goods domestically, Khanh resorted to deception during the customs clearance process.
Khanh also instructed Dang to adjust the data and declare a lower quantity than the actual amount to evade taxes.
The authorities are continuing to investigate and clarify the case.
Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling: A National Imperative
In a world where authenticity is increasingly blurred, the proliferation of counterfeits, knock-offs, and unethical business practices is eroding trust and distorting markets. Unscrupulous tactics are undermining honest businesses, infiltrating traditional markets, e-commerce platforms, and even the shelves of upscale retailers. This insidious problem not only undermines business ethics but also chips away at public faith in law and fairness.
Special Task Force Established: Prime Minister Orders Crackdown on Illicit Trade and Counterfeiting
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“In a decisive move, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered the formation of a special task force to launch a crackdown on illicit activities, including smuggling, trade fraud, and the production and distribution of counterfeit and illicit goods, unknown origin, intellectual property violations, and intellectual property rights infringements. This intensive campaign, lasting from May 15 to June 15, aims to firmly tackle and deter such illegal practices, demonstrating the government’s strong stance against these issues.”
“Prime Minister Orders Special Task Force to Combat Counterfeit Goods in an Intensive Crackdown”
“The Prime Minister has called for stricter penalties to be imposed on individuals who misuse their influence to disseminate false advertising, particularly online. This move underscores the government’s commitment to curbing the spread of misleading information and ensuring that those who exploit their reputation to propagate untruths are held accountable for their actions.”
“Cracking Down on Counterfeits: A National Priority to Stamp Out Illicit Trade and Protect Consumers.”
On the morning of May 14, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a meeting with ministries, departments, and central agencies to evaluate the efforts in combating smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods in the first months of 2025 and to discuss the direction and tasks for the coming period.
Selling Rare Earth Without an Invoice, Company Chairman Cites ‘National-Level Research Project’ Reason
For the uninvoiced rare earth volume, defendant Luu Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietnam Rare Earth Company, argued that he did not need to legalize the input because he was working on a state-level rare earth production research project.
