At a recent high-level meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered the establishment of a special task force led by Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, initiating a month-long nationwide crackdown on counterfeit and substandard goods.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed the formation of a special task force and the launch of a high-intensity campaign to combat and suppress smuggling, commercial fraud, counterfeit production and distribution, goods of unknown origin, copyright violations, and infringements of intellectual property rights. This national campaign will take place from May 15 to June 15.

During a working session with ministries and government agencies to evaluate anti-smuggling and anti-counterfeit efforts in the first months of 2025 and plan for the coming period, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the urgent need to launch a concentrated effort to target fake and imitation goods.

A special task force will be led by Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, while localities will establish their own task forces chaired by provincial or municipal People's Committee leaders. These teams will include representatives from relevant sectors to coordinate implementation of the crackdown during the designated period.

The Prime Minister underscored that the primary objective is to prevent, suppress, and ultimately eliminate smuggling, commercial fraud, the production and circulation of counterfeit goods, and products with unclear origin, as well as violations of copyright and product origin labeling.

He tasked the Ministry of Home Affairs with reviewing the functions and responsibilities of all ministries and agencies to eliminate legal loopholes and prevent administrative restructuring from weakening enforcement and oversight.

The Ministry of Public Security was directed to initiate special investigations, strictly prosecute violators, and coordinate with judicial authorities to expedite investigation, prosecution, and trial processes. Results of these cases must be made public through the media to serve as deterrents and raise public awareness.

The Ministry of Health was ordered to urgently strengthen control to prevent the entry of counterfeit or smuggled pharmaceuticals with unclear origin into the Vietnamese market.

The Ministry of Science and Technology must promptly review and amend regulations related to intellectual property, especially concerning digital platforms and e-commerce. It is also tasked with increasing inspection and enforcement against entities that publish false product information.

Additionally, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to develop penalties for individuals who misuse their reputation to promote deceptive advertising, particularly on social media platforms.

This ministry is also required to collaborate with other agencies to crack down on fraudulent advertising, especially claims about "miracle cures."

The Vinh