Nghe An 389 force discovered many cases of counterfeit goods violations

Many violations were detected and handled.

Typically, on August 6, 2025, Market Management Team No. 11, Market Management Department coordinated with the Order Police Team, the Department of Administrative Management of Social Order and Team 4, the Economic Police Department - Nghe An Provincial Police to search the CHENGLONG vehicle with license plate 34H-017.93 driven by Mr. Ho Van Hau, residing in Thach Khoi Ward, Hai Phong City.

Through inspection, the delegation discovered that the above transport vehicle was hiding 62 bags of white sugar brand MITR PHOL SUGAR originating from Thailand, 50 kg/bag, with a total cargo weight of 3.1 tons.

At the time of inspection, Mr. Ho Van Hau could not present any invoices or documents proving the legality of the goods. Market Management Team No. 11 sealed and temporarily detained all of the above goods for verification and clarification.

Or on August 5, 2025, the Industry and Trade Security Team, Economic Security Department, Nghe An Provincial Police, and Market Management Team No. 11, Market Management Department coordinated to inspect compliance with the law in the production and trading of goods and services for Hoang Gia Phat Trading and Transport Services Company Limited located at Lot E03, Tecco Nam Thanh Area, Block 12, Thanh Vinh Ward, Nghe An Province.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Dung - Market Management Team No. 11 said: Through inspection, we discovered that this enterprise was selling 25 kg of chicken jerky and 25 kg of beef jerky that had been spoiled. All of the above goods had no labels, no production date or expiration date. The packaging containing the products did not show any information to determine the origin or source of the goods.

Working with the inspection team, the Company Director - Mr. Hoang Trung Thong, could not provide invoices, sales contracts, and transaction documents related to the above goods. Therefore, all of the above goods were considered goods of unknown origin according to the provisions of law. Market Management Team No. 11 drew up an administrative violation record and issued a decision to fine Hoang Gia Phat Trading and Transport Services Company Limited for trading in goods of unknown origin with the amount of 16 million VND, and at the same time forced the destruction of all violating goods.

Previously, on July 25, 2025, Market Management Team No. 8 coordinated with Road Traffic Police Team No. 5 - Traffic Police Department, Nghe An Provincial Police discovered a truck with license plate 37G-000.10, TERACO brand (driven by Mr. Vo Quy Dong in Phong Hao hamlet, Truong Vinh ward), transporting 42 sets of wireless headphones (AirPods) with signs of counterfeiting the APPLE brand - a brand that is protected in Vietnam.

Working with the inspection team, Mr. Dong could not present documents proving the legal right to use the trademark from the owner, Apple Corporation. Therefore, all 42 sets of headphones were determined to be counterfeit trademark goods according to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 213 of the 2005 Law on Intellectual Property.

The determination of the Party and State to make the market healthy is very strong, with many drastic instructions; especially recently, from the central to local levels, special working groups have been established to launch a peak period of attack and crackdown on counterfeit and smuggled goods.

Mr. Nguyen Van Huong - Head of the Market Management Department said: In the past time, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial Steering Committee 389 have fully and promptly implemented the directive documents of the Government and the National Steering Committee 389. Market Management, Customs, Border Guard, Police, local authorities... coordinated to synchronously deploy professional measures to identify key subjects and key areas. In the first 6 months of the year, the Provincial Steering Committee 389 organized inspections and administrative sanctions for 1,771 cases; prosecuted 166 cases/237 subjects; the total value of fines was more than 181 billion VND.

Identify violations and resolutely handle them

However, the situation of counterfeit, fake and poor quality goods in the province is still very complicated, and control is very difficult. Vietnam is a potential domestic market for businesses to develop, but counterfeit and fake goods openly exist, causing businesses to lose right at home.

According to market management officials, in addition to traditional methods, subjects are currently promoting the purchase and sale of goods online, mainly smuggled goods, counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin, fake goods, and poor quality goods. Subjects organize livestreams on social networks, close orders and package them, then deliver the goods to customers through shipping companies and pay through accounts or through delivery units that collect money on behalf of customers. Many subjects have not registered their businesses and do not have specific store addresses, causing tax losses to the State and making it difficult to grasp the situation, detect and handle violators.

It is worth mentioning that recently, e-commerce activities have developed rapidly but management has not kept up with the situation. In e-commerce inspection activities, determining the exact warehouse address of the subjects is extremely difficult because the subjects often take advantage of social networks to open many advertising network accounts, register "virtual" address information. The areas for storing goods are often located in private homes, rented apartments, boarding houses, the transportation of goods is done through express delivery units, non-cash payments... so it is very difficult to access, detect and handle violations.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang in Truong Vinh Ward said that due to busy work, she and many of her friends often buy food and consumer goods at traditional markets and online, without asking the seller to provide invoices or documents. This habit of consumers is also helping to promote counterfeit goods, fake goods, and goods of unknown origin.

In the question-and-answer session at the recent Provincial People's Council meeting on the issue of counterfeit goods, the head of the province's Industry and Trade Department said that if we only rely on the authorities, we will never be able to strictly control the situation of counterfeit goods. The most important thing is to improve the level from production to the supply chain and consumption. It is necessary to combine construction and prevention, promote production and trading of goods to push back counterfeit goods; promote the development of local OCOP products to serve the people. And to fight fiercely, strongly and thoroughly, it must be implemented synchronously not only in Nghe An but also nationwide.

The authorities need to do a good job of infiltrating the bases, identifying and grasping the situation, methods and tricks of the subjects, especially new methods and tricks. On the basis of identifying key routes, areas and subjects, resolutely and strictly handle violators according to the provisions of the law...