Vietnam cracks down on smuggling and illegal trade in first half of 2026

Vietnam's national anti‑smuggling task force reported processing 67,937 violations in the first six months of 2026, a 36.66% rise from the same period in 2025. The cases included 5,220 incidents of illegal import, export and transport of prohibited goods, 56,994 instances of commercial and tax fraud, and 5,723 violations involving counterfeit products and intellectual‑property infringement. State revenue from these actions reached 9.648 trillion VND.

Customs authorities led 11,418 customs‑law breaches, collecting 611.087 billion VND and initiating seven prosecutions. Tax officials handled 31,080 tax‑related fraud cases, contributing 8.608 trillion VND to the budget. Market‑regulation agencies dealt with 22,711 counterfeit‑goods cases, adding 338.2 billion VND, while border troops seized 821 smuggling incidents, securing 26.859 billion VND. Maritime police, border troops, and police investigations also made significant seizures of narcotics and illicit goods. The task force outlined future priorities such as expanding source‑tracking databases, improving information sharing, and establishing hotlines for public tips.