The Ministry of Interior Counter-Counterfeit Committee (CCC) will suspend operations across the country that inspect and confiscate products harmful to the public’s health, except in extreme cases, to prevent the re-emergence of Covid-19.

“All operations involving investigations, summons and arrests for counterfeit products have been temporarily suspended to prevent the recurrence of Covid-19,” the committee said in a statement dated July 6.

Despite the suspension of operational activities, CCC Meach Sophanna chairman stated in the letter that there were exceptions for the working group to continue operations.

Sophana said that activities related to medical supplies, Covid-19 medicines and related poor quality products would continue to be investigated and appropriate action taken by the working groups of the CCC.

He advised: “For CCC operations, maintaining social distancing, wearing masks, using spray alcohol and following the instructions of the Ministry of Health will continue, and we must continue to implement the ‘three dos and three don’ts’ measures.”

Sophanna believes that CCC teams will follow these new instructions to the letter and will resume normal activities in the capital and provinces as directed by the ministry.

Hong Vannak, a business researcher at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the Ministry of Commerce also has a Consumer Protection Competition and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CCF) that may not suspend similar activities.

In addition, he thinks that the suspension will not have a big impact on perpetrators and other activities related to counterfeit products.

“Today, the CCF operations are similar to those of the CCC. Only the CCF has a larger jurisdiction than the working group of the Ministry of Interior. The two institutions should work together. The CCF’s work is indispensable but would be better if the group cooperated with law enforcement,” he said.