Thousands of cases of counterfeit goods disclosed in one-month crackdown
Counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringements made up the largest share.
THE HANOI TIMES — Following a month-long nationwide crackdown on counterfeit goods, market surveillance authorities dealt with 3,114 cases, issuing fines and seizing goods worth VND63 billion ($2.47 million).
Market surveillance officials inspect counterfeit goods at a shopping center. Photo: Market Surveillance Authority.
The campaign, which ran from May 15 to June 15 as ordered by the prime minister, was led by the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
During this period, officials conducted 3,891 inspections and processed over 3,100 cases. Administrative fines totaled VND32 billion ($1.26 million), while the value of confiscated goods was VND31 billion ($1.21 million).
Twenty-six of the cases were found to involve criminal activity and were transferred to investigative authorities, which is a 50% increase compared to the same period last year.
The most common offences were the production and sale of counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement, accounting for 52% of the total, with fines totalling around $630,000. Smuggling followed, making up over 21% of cases, with fines totalling over VND6 billion ($237,000).
Sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements remained under close scrutiny. Since 2021, almost 1,000 cases in this category have been addressed, including 783 specifically related to non-compliant dairy products.
Several high-profile cases were uncovered during the campaign, including the seizure of over 500 counterfeit items in downtown Danang, the discovery of a counterfeit sock manufacturing facility in La Phu, Hanoi, and the confiscation of thousands of fake branded products at Saigon Square in Ho Chi Minh City.
Most recently, on June 9, officials inspected four cosmetics businesses in Hanoi and discovered 3,500 illegally imported products of unknown origin. These counterfeit goods were mixed with authentic goods.
Tran Huu Linh, Director General of the Market Surveillance Authority, stated that the crackdown will continue with an intensified use of digital technologies and data systems for market oversight, particularly in e-commerce.
“We are committed to taking strong, coordinated, and flexible action to safeguard consumer rights and foster a transparent and healthy business environment,” said Linh.
