There are still many types of smuggled cosmetics, food, counterfeit goods on the market today, with unknown origins and origins. At some traditional markets and on social networking platforms, many products are advertised as "hand-carried goods", "cheap goods", "domestic goods" but do not have invoices, documents or sub-labels as prescribed.
On December 24, a cosmetic stall near Ban Co market showed that many types of cosmetics and food were sold at lower prices than the market. The main products are powder, perfume, lipstick, nail paint... Information about the goods is almost only introduced by word of mouth by sellers, while the packaging is mainly printed in foreign languages, there are even products with unknown letters for reading, without Vietnamese sub-labels according to regulations. When the buyer asks about the invoice or documents proving the origin, the seller cannot present it.
On social networking platforms, many personal accounts regularly livestream selling cosmetics and food with the commitment to "honest", delivering goods on site through express delivery services. However, most products do not have Vietnamese sub-labeles according to regulations, information about import and distribution units is unclear, causing difficulties for consumers in checking and tracing the origin when an incident occurs.
Ms. Nguyen Xuyen - a cosmetics trader in Tan Tao ward - said that counterfeit goods are increasingly sophisticated, with designs similar to genuine goods, making it difficult for sellers and buyers to distinguish. Many products with packaging, labels, and lines are almost identical to genuine goods, only when used or inspected by a professional agency can they be discovered to be counterfeit goods.
Previously, the Economic Police Department of Ho Chi Minh City Police discovered at No. 20 of Channel 4 Street, Tan Tao Ward, signs of producing fake cosmetics of many famous brands, seizing thousands of fake cosmetic products with famous brands such as Vichy, My Gold Korea Red ginseng... along with many machines, equipment, and raw materials. The value of counterfeit goods equivalent to real goods is up to many billions of VND.
Not only fake cosmetics, but recently, the authorities have also discovered cases of fake food production. On November 15, the Economic Police Department coordinated with Thoi An Ward Police to inspect a food processing facility at 46 D2 Street, Thoi An Ward, and discovered the owner and 6 employees producing suspected counterfeit beef.
Faced with the situation of cosmetics of unknown origin, origin and smuggled cosmetics still circulating on the market, the Department of Health has proactively issued many inspection plans, coordinating with the City Police, Market Management forces and local authorities to organize regular and surprise inspections, thereby strengthening the fight against and prevention of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the health sector.
The Department of Health recommends that consumers be cautious, prioritize choosing products of clear origin, not using smuggled goods, hand-carried goods to protect their health and legitimate rights. Faced with the trend of subjects switching to the e-commerce environment, functional forces are required to strengthen transportation control, complete the legal framework, promote the application of information technology and closely coordinate in inspecting and handling production lines, trading in counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin, especially in the health sector.
To improve the effectiveness of handling violations, the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Department said that the unit also regularly directs the Market Management Teams to strengthen supervision, inspection, and market inspection; strictly handle common violations in the production and trading of counterfeit and poor quality goods; at the same time, closely coordinate with the City Police in the fight against counterfeit goods and trade fraud, especially in the e-commerce environment, and promote propaganda and mobilization of people not to participate and do not support counterfeit goods production and trading activities.
