After a long period of investigation, the police raided six locations used for manufacturing and storing counterfeit medicines in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, the northern provinces of Vinh Phuc and Hung Yen, as well as the Mekong Delta provinces of An Giang and Dong Thap.

They seized a total of 21 types of counterfeit pharmaceutical products treating musculoskeletal diseases.

They also confiscated over 18,000 empty boxes, and 142kg of various pills, tablets, and powders of unknown origins, along with machinery and equipment used in the production process.

All of the exhibits, including counterfeit medicines and raw materials, weighed 10 tonnes in total.

The masterminds of the ring were Nguyen Tien Dat, 34, from Hanoi, and Trinh Doan Giao, 40, from Ho Chi Minh City. The pair had bought raw materials of unknown origin, hired workers to mix them into powder, used machines to form capsules, then packaged and distributed them through various channels.

Since 2021, the ring had sold a huge quantity of counterfeit drugs, making illicit profits estimated at nearly VND200 billion.

The police revealed that the suspects targeted elderly consumers seeking musculoskeletal medicines at affordable prices.

A further investigation into the case is underway.

Jail terms proposed for defendants in fake cancer drug case

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Procuracy on September 26 proposed jail sentences of 3-20 years for 12 defendants in a fake cancer drug trading case at the Vietnam Pharma JSC (VN Pharma).