The number of crimes related to social order fell by 6.8 per cent, with some 83.5 per cent of social order crimes, such as theft and robbery, successfully investigated, while the figure for serious or especially serious social order crimes was 91.13 per cent. — Photo baovinhphuc.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — Crimes related to social order fell by 6.8 per cent last year, while the continuing crackdown on corruption helped gain public confidence in the State, two committees reported on Thursday.

Speaking at a meeting held by the steering committee for crime prevention and control and the national steering committee for tackling smuggling, trade fraud and fake goods (Steering Committee 389), Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hoà Bình said the committees contributed to the efforts of the whole of Việt Nam last year to control COVID-19 and recover economically by fighting crime.

“We did a good job in fulfilling tasks assigned by the National Assembly,” Bình said.

However, he admitted that smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit product crimes were all still complex problems, adding that the irresponsibility, loose management and corruption of some State employees and officials were to blame.

The number of crimes related to social order fell by 6.8 per cent, with some 83.5 per cent of social order crimes, such as theft and robbery, successfully investigated, while the figure for serious or especially serious social order crimes was 91.13 per cent.

About 1,860 criminal gangs were detected and successfully investigated.

Several corruption trials, particularly those relating to land management and public investment, were opened, drawing a great deal of attention and increasing public confidence in the State's efforts to fight crime.

Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hoà Bình chairs a meeting to review 2020's crime prevention and control activities on Thursday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Phương Hoa

According to Steering Committee 389, last year, authorities uncovered and successfully investigated more than 185,000 cases relating to smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit products, collecting VNĐ23 trillion (US$995.3 million) for the State budget.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities paid more attention to stabilising the market and tackling the production and trade of substandard medical products.

The steering committee for crime prevention and control reported that agencies under the Ministry of Defence last year detected a total of nearly 13,600 cases with 44,080 suspects involved. Of this figure, 1,115 with 1,789 suspects were related to drug crimes in which nearly 3,400kg of narcotics were seized.

Last year, 51 victims of human trafficking were rescued after authorities cracked down on 36 human trafficking cases involving 24 suspects.

Authorities also detected 34 cases relating to the illegal trade, storage and use of weapon and explosives.

As many as 1,948 cases related to smuggled and trade fraud were uncovered.

Authorities also found 5,375 cases with 32,584 people involved in crossing the Vietnamese border illegally. Criminal procedures were launched against 172 suspects for organising illegal entry to the country. — VNS