Gold and counterfeit smuggling is complicated, with many key routes
According to information on the working situation in October 2025 of the Customs Department, this agency said that the large gap between domestic and world gold prices increases the risk of smuggling and illegal transportation of gold and currency across the border. The activities take place mainly on the road and waterway in the southern border area bordering Cambodia (Tinh Bien, Khanh Binh - An Giang; Bo Y - Gia Lai) and bordering Laos (Lao Bao - Quang Tri). On the air route through Noi Bai International Airport, Tan Son Nhat, there is a situation of hiding gold on the person and in hand-carried luggage, especially on flights from Taiwan (China).
The situation of taking advantage of transit, transit, and transit to transport counterfeit goods and goods violating intellectual property rights continues to occur at the border between Vietnam - China, Vietnam - Laos and Vietnam - Cambodia. The subjects incorrectly declared or did not declare the trademark of protected goods, mixed the violating goods in legal shipments or took advantage of simple declarations for transit goods.
The sea route continues to record the largest number of violations with 1,021/1,793 cases (56.9%), mainly at ports under Sub-Departments of Land Use Rights II, III, XII. There is a situation of importing used goods such as clothes, household appliances, machinery - which are on the list of prohibited imports.
The road route detected 542 cases (30.2%), concentrated at the Vietnam - China, Vietnam - Cambodia borders. Subjects take advantage of border residents' policies to transport foreign currency, cigarettes, phones, gold leaf, frozen foods, etc. In the Central region - Vietnam - Laos, businesses continue to record the buying and selling of firecrackers, white sugar, and pesticides.
The airline recorded 105 cases (5.85%), with an estimated value of 122 billion VND, an increase of 39 cases compared to September 2025. The main tricks include taking advantage of non-transaction, depositing goods, using fake documents and fake addresses, hiring recipients to conceal the transportation of prohibited goods, currency and drugs.
Nearly 20,000 billion VND worth of violating goods detected in 10 months
From September 15 to October 14, 2025, the Customs agency discovered, arrested and handled 1,793 cases, an increase of 18 cases (1.01%) over the same period in 2024; the value of violating goods is estimated at VND 1,856 billion; the budget revenue is approximately VND 46.1 billion. The Customs authority prosecuted 1 case and transferred 7 cases to another agency.
Accumulated from December 15, 2024 to October 14, 2025, the Customs force detected and handled 15,121 cases with the value of violated goods of VND 19,551 billion; the state budget revenue reached VND 710.33 billion. There were 16 cases prosecuted and 100 cases transferred to other agencies for prosecution.
Regarding the results of the drug fight, from September 15 to October 14, 2025, the Customs force presided over or coordinated the detection of 13 cases/19 subjects, seizing 24.94 kg of drugs including 13.39 kg of heroin; 9.55 kg of ketamine and 2 kg of synthetic drugs.
Accumulated from December 15, 2024 to October 14, 2025, the authorities discovered 165 cases/213 subjects; of which the Customs chaired 67 cases. The total evidence included about 2,326 kg of various drugs, including: 402.49 g of pipe drugs; 153 kg of marijuana; 67.3 kg of heroin; 1.86 kg of cocaine; 1,516 kg of ketamine; 365 kg and 1,903 synthetic drug pills; along with 223 kg and 60,000 other drug pills.
Import and export decreased slightly, still having a trade surplus of 2.6 billion USD
Regarding the situation of imported and exported goods in October, according to the Customs Department, the export of goods in October 2025 reached 42.05 billion USD, down 1.5% (equivalent to 621 million USD) compared to the previous month. Imports reached 39.44 billion USD, down 1% (equivalent to 379 million USD). Total import-export turnover in October reached 81.49 billion USD, down 1.2% (equivalent to 1 billion USD). The trade balance of goods this month had a trade surplus of 2.6 billion USD.
In the first 10 months of 2025, exports were nearly 391 billion USD, up 16.2% (equivalent to 54.56 billion USD). Imports reached 371.44 billion USD, up 18.6% (equivalent to nearly 58.18 billion USD). Total turnover in 10 months reached 762.44 billion USD, up 17.4% (equivalent to 112.74 billion USD compared to the same period in 2024). The trade balance has a trade surplus of 19.56 billion USD.
Regarding budget revenue, from October 1-31, 2025, revenue from import-export activities will reach VND 41,564 billion, up 10% over the previous month (equivalent to VND 3,770 billion). As of October 1-1.2025, state budget revenue reached VND 379,816 billion, equal to 92.4% of the estimate, 80.8% of the target and increased by 9.3% over the same period in 2024 (up VND 32,384 billion).
