Impersonating the Market Management Team to fine traditional medicine businesses

Mr. Vi Van Tuyen - Secretary of the Party Committee of Ngoc Lam Commune (Thanh Chuong) said, "People reported that a group of people went to households that were engaged in traditional medicine to check for licenses. Although the households explained that they did not have licenses because their families only distributed traditional medicine to help local people, this group of people made a record and threatened to enforce the fine, so the households accepted the fine. We confirmed that this was a fraudulent act and have reported it to the authorities and warned people to be vigilant."

Accordingly, in the last days of December 2018, in Thanh Son and Ngoc Lam communes of Thanh Chuong district, a group of 4-5 people appeared, wearing uniforms similar to those of market management officers, driving a car but staying far from people's houses to inspect some households specializing in treating diseases with traditional medicine of the Thai and Kho Mu people.

This group introduced themselves as “Market Management Team No. 8 Nghe An”. They came to check the business licenses of the families. If they did not have a business license, this group would draw up a record of administrative handling and impose a fine of 50 - 60 million VND.

Most of the inspected households “comply with the fine” because they believe they have violated the regulations. If people do not have enough money to pay the fine, they accept it and collect whatever they have.

At the home of Mr. Vi Van Hung in Noong village, Ngoc Lam commune, who practices a traditional profession of treating broken bones and sprains, this team also made a record. When Mr. Hung offered 10 million to pay, but seeing that there were many people, the team did not dare to openly accept the money, so they pushed him into the house to agree to collect a fine of 6 million VND.

After the group of people impersonating "Nghe An Market Management Team No. 8" left the area, many people became suspicious of the fines because they did not record invoices or documents, accepted any amount of money people paid, and avoided people when they were filming and taking pictures, so they reported it to the local authorities and the Ngoc Lam Commune Police and Thanh Chuong District Police.

Currently, Thanh Chuong District Police are collecting information to investigate the case.