Police bust counterfeit supplement ring, seize over 100 tonnes of fake goods
Police have dismantled a large-scale counterfeit goods operation that produced over 100 tonnes of fake dietary supplements and medical devices, authorities announced on May 17.
The operation was allegedly led by 37-year-old husband and wife Pham Ngoc Tien and Doan Thi Nguyet, who were caught manufacturing and distributing counterfeit products to pharmacies across the country.
According to investigators, the couple had been producing and selling fake goods since 2020, with products reaching drugstores and hospitals nationwide.
Tien, a licensed pharmacist, personally developed the product formulas and sourced raw materials domestically. He then instructed unqualified workers to mix and encapsulate the substances, which were packaged and falsely labelled as imported dietary supplements.
To support the scheme, Tien directed company accountant Luong Thi Yen to establish 17 companies—six registered for import and 11 for domestic distribution.
Initially, the group legally imported foreign-made supplements. However, after observing high demand, Tien began manufacturing imitation products locally, branding them as imported goods to boost sales.
As authorities increased inspections, the suspects attempted to conceal their stock. Tien and Nguyet allegedly ordered employees to hide the counterfeit products at relatives' homes.
On May 7, police carried out coordinated raids at nearly 20 locations linked to the network, including manufacturing sites, warehouses, and distribution points across more than 20 provinces and cities.
The raids uncovered 30 box embossing moulds, 28,531 boxes and 34,822 bottles of supplements, 38,935 blister packs of pills, 8,535 boxes of packaging, nearly 100 boxes of counterfeit labels, as well as machinery, production equipment, and raw materials.
In total, more than 100 tonnes of counterfeit products were seized.
Police have issued emergency detention orders and arrest warrants for Tien, Yen, and three others: Nguyen Van Duc, Nguyen Thanh Tam, and Nguyen Huu Tuan, as the investigation continues.
Handling fake goods on e-commerce platforms
About 30,000 e-commerce stores were taken down in the first nine months of this year due to trade fraud, counterfeit and contraband goods, and the scale of the problem is looking daunting.
