Import and export increased sharply in the first 4 months of the year
On May 11, the Customs Department said that in April 2026, the export turnover of goods reached 45.99 billion USD, down 1.3% compared to the previous month, equivalent to a decrease of 586 million USD. Meanwhile, imports of goods reached 49.98 billion USD, up 5.9%, equivalent to an increase of 2.8 billion USD.
Total import and export turnover of goods in April 2026 reached 95.97 billion USD, an increase of 2.4% compared to the previous month, equivalent to an increase of 2.22 billion USD.
Accumulated in the first 4 months of 2026, goods exports reached 169.02 billion USD, up 20.1%, equivalent to an increase of 28.26 billion USD compared to the same period last year. Goods imports reached 176.66 billion USD, up 29.5%, equivalent to an increase of 40.21 billion USD.
Total import and export turnover of goods in the first 4 months of the year reached 345.68 billion USD, an increase of 24.7%, equivalent to an increase of 68.47 billion USD compared to the same period in 2025.
Regarding state budget revenue, revenue from import and export activities in April 2026 reached 46,974 billion VND, an increase of 1.8% compared to the same period last month, equivalent to an increase of 831 billion VND.
Accumulated to April 30, 2026, state budget revenue reached VND 166,301 billion, equal to 36.9% of the estimate of VND 451,000 billion and equal to 32.2% of the striving target of VND 516,500 billion. Compared to the same period in 2025, revenue increased by 16.5%, equivalent to an increase of VND 23,563 billion.
Smuggling diễn biến phức tạp
According to the Customs Department, in April 2026, the situation of smuggling, trade fraud and illegal transportation of goods across borders continued to be complicated.
Prominent is the situation of illegal transportation of gold and diesel oil on the central border line bordering Laos and the Southwest river route bordering Cambodia; prohibited goods such as pangolin scales and frozen food of unknown origin on the northern road bordering China.
The sea route continues to account for the largest proportion of violations with 1,237 cases out of a total of 2,152 cases detected, arrested and handled, accounting for 57.5% of the total number of violations. Compared to the same period in 2025, the number of cases on the sea route increased by 534 cases, equivalent to an increase of 75.9%.
Violating goods are mainly concentrated through major seaports such as Cat Lai, Hai Phong, Cai Mep, Da Nang. Among them, the phenomenon of violating regulations on industrial property protection instructions; importing goods showing signs of infringement of trademark rights; importing goods that must have a license but without a license is prominent.
On the river route in the Cambodian border area, functional forces recorded the situation of illegal transportation of Diesel oil disguised on boats carrying vegetables and fruits.
For roads, the Customs force discovered and arrested 597 cases, accounting for 27.7% of the total number of violations, an increase of 145 cases compared to the same period in 2025.
The cases are concentrated on the Vietnam - China, Vietnam - Laos and Vietnam - Cambodia border lines. According to the Customs Department, subjects take advantage of policies to facilitate import and export activities as well as preferential policies for border residents to smuggle and illegally transport goods across borders.
Illegal trading and transportation of white sugar, drugs and counterfeit branded goods continues to take place in the central provinces and the Vietnam - Laos border line. Meanwhile, the border line bordering China recorded an increasing trend of transporting frozen food without legal documents.
In the border gate area and trails, road border openings, the situation of transporting imported goods of unknown origin, without legal documents, still continues with items such as frozen food, cosmetics, household appliances, mobile phones, children's toys and cigarette leaves.
Some typical cases reported by the Customs Department include: Illegally transporting 400 liters of Diesel oil hidden in reinforced metal barrels on a tractor-trailer at Lao Bao international border gate; seizing 1,400 liters of disguised Diesel oil in a beer export shipment to Laos at La Lay international border gate; discovering 2,400 synthetic drug pills hidden in milk boxes at Lao Bao border gate; illegally transporting 59.2 pangolin scales in Cao Bang and 84 metal cylinders containing N20 gas at Hoanh Mo border gate.
