The Nghe An Customs Control Team and Border Guard are coordinating patrols and tightening control to combat smuggling at sea during the period leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year).
To intensify the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods before, during, and after the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, the Customs Control Team – Customs Sub-department Area XI coordinated with Border Guard Squadron 2 – Command of the Border Guard Force of Nghe An province to conduct overt patrols and inspections in the waters of Nghe An from December 19 to 23, 2025.
Accordingly, the Customs Control Team – Customs Sub-department Area XI and Border Guard Squadron 2 – Border Guard Command of Nghe An province have strengthened close coordination and implemented many operational measures along the sea route. Patrol areas extend from Cua Lo to Quynh Mai, focusing on estuaries, fishing ports, boat anchorages, and areas assessed as having a potential risk of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods, contributing to maintaining security and order along the sea route.
During the mission, the task force inspected and controlled vessels entering and leaving the port, as well as vessels operating at sea with suspicious signs. The focus was on vessels suspected of transporting illegal goods from abroad for consumption in Nghe An province, as well as vessels from other provinces passing through Nghe An waters that showed signs of using the sea route to transport smuggled or prohibited goods.
Besides inspection and control work, the functional forces pay special attention to the dissemination of legal information. In areas where boats are anchored and during patrols at sea, Customs and Border Guard officers have directly propagated and encouraged boat owners, crew members, and fishermen exploiting marine resources in the waters of Nghe An to strictly comply with the regulations of the law and not abet smugglers or those transporting prohibited goods.
The propaganda focused on clarifying the methods and tactics that smugglers often use to entice fishermen to participate in the illegal transportation of goods; it also emphasized the strict penalties for violations of maritime law. Customs officials also provided a hotline number and instructed fishermen on how to promptly inform authorities when they detect vessels showing signs of transporting illegal goods.
In particular, authorities have warned and emphasized the serious risks and consequences of transporting prohibited goods such as drugs, firecrackers, and smuggled oil at sea, as well as the illegal export of minerals. These types of crimes pose many risks, not only causing losses to the state budget but also directly affecting security, social order, and the marine ecosystem.
According to the assessment of the working group, during the peak period of patrols and inspections, although no specific cases of smuggling or illegal transportation of goods were detected in the waters of Nghe An province, the coordinated patrol activities proved to be remarkably effective. The regular and public presence of Customs and Border Guard forces at sea contributed to deterring and preventing individuals from taking advantage of the approaching Tet holiday to commit illegal acts.
Representatives from the Customs Control Team – Customs Sub-department Region XI stated that the end of the year and the period before the Lunar New Year are typically times when smuggling and trade fraud become more complex, especially along the maritime routes. Smugglers often take advantage of the cover of darkness, bad weather, or blend in with fishing and seafood transportation activities to conceal their illegal activities. Therefore, strengthening inter-agency patrol and control coordination is extremely important.
On behalf of the Nghe An Provincial Border Guard Command, the leader of Border Guard Squadron 2 affirmed that coordination with the Customs force not only helps improve the effectiveness of the fight against smuggling but also contributes to building a solid people's security posture at sea. Through propaganda and mobilization, fishermen are increasingly raising their awareness of complying with the law, proactively participating in reporting crimes, and becoming "eyes and ears" providing strong support to the functional forces.
At the end of the patrol, the two forces held an evaluation and shared lessons learned, agreeing to continue maintaining a regular coordination mechanism, especially during peak periods and sensitive times. This is considered an important foundation for improving the effectiveness of management and control along Nghe An's coastline in the future.
