An Giang (VNA) ♊- Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has urged police and market watchforces in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang to intensify their fightagainst smuggling and trade fraud.

Deputy PM Binh, who isHead of the National Steering Committee for Anti-Smuggling, Trade Fraud andCounterfeight Goods, has said An Giang, with its long border with Cambodia, shouldfocus more on the fight against border smuggling and trade fraud in borderingareas. The province should handleviolations with stricter punishment to smugglers and officials found supportingsmuggling, Binh said. In addition, Binh askedprovincial anti-smuggling authorities to consolidate their co-operation withCambodian partners, including border guards and authorities, to prevent anddiscover smuggling cases, trade fraud and counterfeit goods. The deputy PM visitedthe Tinh Bien Border Station, where he praised border guards and soldiers fortheir contribution to the province’s anti-smuggling fight. Meanwhile, provincialauthorities shared their opinions on the province’s transport planning andupgrades at a meeting with the deputy PM, saying that they wanted theGovernment to interfere on a project to upgrade a road section into national highway80B, connecting Cao Lanh District in southern Dong Thap Province with Vinh Xuongborder gate in An Giang Province. It also requested asupport toward building the Long Bình-Chrey Thom bridge connecting An GiangProvince with Kandal Province of Cambodia. The province proposedthe Government not allow auctions of seized illegal sugar products andpromulgate relevant policies for re-exporting seized illegally importedtobacco. An Giang Provinceborders Cambodia, and it has become a hotbed for smuggling in recent years. Despite police steps toprevent the illegal practice, it is becoming more complicated. Smuggling isparticularly on the rise as Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches and demand forgoods increases. Gold, electronics, tobacco, wood and wine are some of the mostpopular smuggled products. Smugglers oftentransport goods in the middle of the night or early in the morning to get themover the border more easily, local officials said. They also separateproducts into smaller packages to make them easier to hide and change locationsto make it more difficult for authorities to discover them. More seriously,smugglers have sometimes been violent against authorised forces.-VNA