According to Lao Dong's records at Saigon Square at 77-89 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street (Ben Thanh Ward, District 1), many stalls were closed, while others were constantly opening and closing. In front of the kiosk, there were people sitting and watching to avoid the authorities' surprise inspection.
According to observations, most of the stalls sell handbags, watches... with super cheap prices compared to the official listed prices. It is known that this is a place considered a "shopping paradise" with a variety of goods and attracts many tourists when coming to Ho Chi Minh City.
Ms. Kieu Loan - a female tourist who came to shop - said she came to buy some clothes, but was quite surprised to see many stalls closed.
"When I walked in and saw many stalls were not open, I thought I had come in at a time when they were not open yet. After asking around, I found out that they had been closed for a few days," said Loan.
A small trader here said that many stores have temporarily suspended business due to fear of authorities suddenly checking, confiscating and fining goods of unknown origin and counterfeit brands.
Recently, the Market Management Department under the General Department of Market Management coordinated with the Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Department to conduct surprise inspections of stalls selling watches and handbags with signs of counterfeit trademarks at Ben Thanh Market (District 1).
As soon as they saw the presence of the authorities, other stores at Saigon Square Shopping Center - about 300m from Ben Thanh Market - quickly closed their doors to avoid inspection.
In September 2024, Market Management Team No. 4 also inspected a number of business locations at Saigon Square Shopping Center and temporarily seized hundreds of counterfeit items.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Department, the inspection is part of the unit's plan to focus on fighting and preventing counterfeit goods, infringement of industrial property rights and commercial fraud in prominent areas and commercial centers in District 1 from now until the end of the peak period before, during and after Tet 2025. This activity aims to stabilize the market and protect the interests of businesses and consumers.
However, this is not the first time that market management forces have suddenly inspected hot spots in commodity trading in the Ho Chi Minh City area.
Previously, in 2022 and 2023, the Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Department inspected, detected, and handled many violations on many streets, stores, and shopping centers in Ho Chi Minh City.
