Vietnam authorities report increase in smuggling and human trafficking

Vietnamese authorities have reported a significant rise in smuggling and commercial fraud. In the first nine months of the year, officials processed 1,916 violations, marking a 10.75% increase compared to the same period in 2025. These cases included 549 instances of illegal transport of prohibited goods, 1,140 cases of commercial and tax fraud, and 227 violations regarding counterfeit goods and intellectual property rights. Total fines and recovered funds exceeded 48 billion VND.

Notable enforcement actions included the seizure of nearly 9,000 grams of gold and the prosecution of individuals for producing counterfeit food. Specifically, authorities investigated two facilities in Lao Cai province for mislabeling local rice as the premium “Gạo Séng Cù Mường Khương” brand.

Separately, the Ministry of Public Security reported that 207 human trafficking cases were investigated during the same nine-month period, involving 542 suspects and 282 victims. Criminal networks are increasingly using social media to lure victims with promises of high-paying jobs, only to exploit them for forced labor or online fraud in neighboring countries like Cambodia.