Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade Announces:
The Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade has announced a special initiative aimed at combating counterfeit and smuggled goods in the automotive spare parts market. This new plan will focus on five priority sectors and is set to begin on April 3rd.
According to a report from Shata, Seyed Reza Fatemi Amin emphasized that the initiative will target automotive spare parts, household appliances, cosmetics, clothing, and tobacco products as the main priorities across the country.
He explained that one of the significant challenges in the distribution of goods in the country is the presence of counterfeit and smuggled products, which, due to their poor quality, pose risks to consumers. Additionally, the issue of smuggling has been a major obstacle to economic problems such as production and employment.
Fatemi Amin stated that all the measures planned under this initiative will be monitored on a weekly basis and will be implemented gradually, adapting to the needs as the project progresses.
In the first phase, the initiative will focus on addressing smuggled and counterfeit products in the automotive spare parts market, starting next week across the country.
During a coordination meeting, which included representatives from the judiciary, the Anti-Smuggling Task Force, the National Standards Organization, and other relevant agencies, the operational details of the initiative were discussed.
The minister highlighted that beyond combating smuggling and counterfeit goods, the initiative will also create new job opportunities in the manufacturing sector and ensure consumer safety, particularly in the automotive spare parts market.
He further explained that this initiative is expected to reduce the negative economic impact of smuggled goods and will be pursued rigorously by the ministry to fulfill the directives of the Supreme Leader.
Strong Judicial Support for the Anti-Smuggling Initiative
Saeed Omrani, Deputy Attorney General, praised the ministry’s efforts to take serious action against smuggled and counterfeit goods. He emphasized the judiciary’s strong support for this initiative and its focus on improving consumer safety.
He also expressed hope that the initiative will eliminate improper methods in the distribution of counterfeit and smuggled goods, particularly in the automotive sector, and reduce social problems associated with smuggling.
New Approach to Combating Smuggling in Line with Supreme Leader’s Directives
Ali Moayedi Khoramabadi, head of the Anti-Smuggling Task Force, also welcomed the ministry’s new approach and expressed hope that it would help achieve the Supreme Leader’s goals in combating smuggling.
Enhanced Focus on Product Quality and Safety
Mehdi Eslampanah, head of the National Standards Organization, acknowledged the ministry’s efforts to improve product quality and safety nationwide and said the initiative would be a good start toward achieving these goals.
Building Infrastructure and Developing Operational Solutions
Mohammad Mehdi Baradaran, head of the Ministry’s Anti-Smuggling Task Force, explained that the ministry has developed all necessary infrastructure and operational plans to ensure the success of this initiative.
Baradaran emphasized that the plan, which will begin with automotive spare parts, aims not only to penalize distributors but also to involve the public in supporting the fight against smuggling through cultural awareness campaigns.
He also outlined various proposed solutions, including the development of an online tracking system for parts, strengthening online sales platforms, and expediting permits for producers and importers to reduce smuggling incentives.
The initiative will also ensure that confiscated smuggled goods are disposed of transparently, making smuggling a non-profitable venture for offenders.
