HCMC – Vietnamese authorities handled more than 23,000 cases related to smuggling, counterfeit goods and trade fraud in 2025, underscoring persistent enforcement challenges as violations increasingly move from physical markets to the digital space.
Market surveillance forces nationwide conducted inspections in 27,540 cases last year. They detected and penalized 23,402 violations, collecting nearly VND372 billion for the state budget, according to a year-end report cited by the Vietnam News Agency.
The Domestic Markets Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said the total value of seized and infringing goods was estimated at nearly VND290 billion, down 31.8% from 2024.
Despite the decline in both the number of cases and the value of violations, authorities said the figures show that illegal trading activities remain widespread. The apparent drop in statistics masks a more complex reality, as smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit and origin-unknown goods are rapidly shifting from traditional marketplaces to online platforms.
Violations linked to e-commerce continued to rise and became more sophisticated. Livestream sales on social media have been exploited to distribute fake and substandard food products that fail to meet food safety standards. Common tactics include exaggerated advertising, labeling products as “hand-carried imports,” “regional specialties,” “homemade,” or “100% clean,” and using celebrities or online influencers to build consumer trust.
Looking ahead, the department warned that 2026–2027 will see the enforcement of several new laws directly affecting administrative penalties, e-commerce, standards and technical regulations, food safety, and product traceability.
Without timely updates to the legal and regulatory framework, market surveillance forces may struggle to keep pace with the realities of digital and cross-border commerce, the agency said.
