Victims of counterfeit goods are everywhere
In recent times, ministries, branches, localities and functional forces have made many efforts in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and inspections
intellectual property rights. These efforts contribute to stabilizing production, increasing budget revenue, ensuring security and social order and protecting the legitimate rights of the people. However, the situation of violations is still complicated, occurring on a large scale, with many increasingly sophisticated tricks.
Not only seriously affecting the health and trust of the people, counterfeit goods also have a negative impact on the economic development of domestic enterprises. Many elaborate investigative articles of Lao Dong Newspaper have exposed this truth.
From poor quality food, dairy of unknown origin seeping into the hospital, to cosmetics being " processed" in illegal processing workshops, the press has helped the authorities have more information to investigate, handle, and at the same time warn consumers.
In particular, with the situation of smuggled yellow oysters flooding into the market, pushing thousands of households raising Quang Ninh milk oysters into a conflict, Lao Dong Newspaper continues to be a voice to protect domestic production.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang - a member of the Doan Ket Thang Loi Cooperative (Cam Pha) - said: "After storm Yagi, my family invested tens of millions of VND to restore the oyster flock. But when the harvest period comes, the selling price is only
5,000 - 7,000 VND/kg, less than half as low as before. The reason is that the smuggled yellow oysters are large, beautiful, and have been labeled Quang Ninh oysters, causing domestic milk oysters to lose their position. I used to think of staying with oysters for the rest of my life, but now I am worried. The more I raise them, the more I lose.
In the same situation, Mr. Nguyen Van Phu - Director of Ngu Long Cooperative (Van Don) - said that despite borrowing up to 8 billion VND from the bank to expand production, his family's milk oysters are almost unable to be consumed. Every day, traders only ask to buy yellow oysters, but no one is surprised by Vietnamese oysters, he said.
A series of investigative articles by Lao Dong have clearly pointed out the method of smuggling oysters through unofficial channels, thereby helping authorities intervene in handling. This is a testament to the accompanying role of the press in protecting Vietnamese businesses and brands.
Fighting against counterfeit goods
On May 15, 2025, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued Official Dispatch No. 65/CD-TTg, launching a peak period of fighting against smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods, copyright infringement, and intellectual property infringement nationwide.
The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate with forces to focus on identifying, investigating and strictly handling organizations and individuals who violate, not allowing it to be prolonged. At the same time, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Finance and the Market Management and Customs forces also launched campaigns to search for counterfeit goods in the fields of health, cosmetics, and functional foods from May 15 to June 15, 2025.
The initial results are very remarkable. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, after a peak month, the market management force inspected 3,891 cases, detected and handled 3,114 violations, with a total handling amount of more than 63 billion VND. Of which, the amount of administrative fines exceeded 32 billion VND, the confiscated goods were worth nearly 31 billion VND and nearly 36 billion VND had been paid to the budget. Notably, 26 cases with signs of criminality were transferred to the investigation agency, an increase of 50% over the same period last year.
Many outstanding cases were detected promptly: on May 20, 2025, more than 500 counterfeit high-end branded products were temporarily detained in Da Nang; on May 26, 2025, a fake sock manufacturing facility was discovered in La Phu (Hanoi); on May 29, 2025, Saigon Square (HCMC) was inspected, seizing thousands of famous brand counterfeit products.
Although the campaigns have achieved positive results, many National Assembly deputies believe that the fight against counterfeit goods still has many hardships.
National Assembly delegate Nguyen Thi Viet Nga emphasized two core issues. First, it is necessary to review the legal system to detect and overcome loopholes that criminals take advantage of. Second, for groups of criminals who have existed for many years without being handled, it is necessary to question the effectiveness of enforcement by authorities.
"In the matrix of counterfeit, counterfeit, and poor quality goods, if the force was considered a shield to protect people and also chased money, then people would know where to believe it," she frankly said.
She suggested improving public ethics, strengthening inspection and examination to ensure the strictness of the law.
Delegate Pham Van Hoa (Dong Thap Delegation) also expressed his frustration: Hundreds of tons of counterfeit and counterfeit goods have been discovered in the past, but before that, the authorities "did not know", while production and trading activities took place publicly right in large cities, in large-scale factories, not in pig-squeezing areas.
Accompanying Vietnamese enterprises
The fight against counterfeit goods is not only the task of the authorities, but also requires the support of the press, the business community and consumers themselves.
The series of investigative articles and reflections of Lao Dong Newspaper are clear evidence: the press is not only reporting news but also "arming the eyes" of the people, helping to detect violations, creating pressure for authorities to intervene, and at the same time spreading the message of protecting Vietnamese goods.
Vietnamese Entrepreneurs' Day on October 13 is an occasion to honor the efforts of the business community, those who are doing business honestly, and is also a reminder of the responsibility to join hands to fight against counterfeit goods. Protecting Vietnamese brands today is to protect the health of consumers and the country's economy in the future.
