120,000 masks were collected and sold to China.
The phenomenon of shortage and price fluctuations of medical masks and hand sanitizers is still occurring in many provinces and cities.
On February 4, Market Management Team No. 12 (Hanoi Market Management Department) and functional forces discovered and seized a shipment of 47 boxes of medical masks, totaling 120,000 masks, preparing to be transported to Lao Cai for export to China.
A representative of Nu Hoang Company (Thanh Xuan, Hanoi) said that they would receive the above goods from the customer and then deliver them to the Lao Cai border to the customer. All of the above goods had no invoices or documents.
Authorities are investigating two individuals involved in the masks. Initially, the two individuals reported collecting masks in southern provinces, hiring transporters from Hanoi to bring them to Lao Cai, and exporting them to China.
Mr. Kieu Dinh Canh - Captain of Market Management Team No. 12, said that market management is determined to fight and strictly handle subjects who take advantage of the nCoV outbreak to hoard and stockpile medical masks for profit.
In Nghe An, Market Management Team No. 3 and relevant agencies conducted a surprise inspection, temporarily seized goods, and administratively fined private pharmacy Lan Thao (126 Ly Tu Trong, Vinh City) for selling medical masks at prices 5 times higher than usual.
Each box of masks sold by this pharmacy is equivalent to 250,000 VND. At the time of inspection, the pharmacy owner could not present input invoices or list the price of the goods...
According to the assessment of the General Department of Market Management, on February 4, 95 more pharmacies and medical equipment businesses were fined for increasing the selling price of masks. The total fine amounted to more than 197 million VND.In the past 5 days, market management forces have inspected and handled 2,180 cases, temporarily seizing nearly 466,330 masks.
According to market management, the demand for epidemic prevention equipment (medical masks, disinfectants, etc.) is still increasing as the nCoV epidemic situation is complicated. The phenomenon of shortages and price fluctuations of these items is still happening in provinces and cities in all three regions of the North, Central and South.
In addition to pharmacies, retail supermarket chains such as Coop Mart and Pharmacity pharmacy chains... have all announced that they are out of masks and are expected to have supplies again by mid-week.
