Vietnam to Increase Enforcement of Illegal Imports

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade will increase checks on several online imports to limit counterfeit and illegally imported goods, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council said in an Oct. 21 report. Vietnam will place more scrutiny on cosmetics, jewelry, nutritional supplements, apparel, footwear and alcohol, the report said, and is expected to begin later this month and continue through 2020. The increased enforcement will include “spot checks” conducted at businesses running e-commerce platforms, the HKTDC said. Businesses that trade in illegal goods or violate intellectual property rights will “face further investigation and possible prosecution,” the report said.