After a surprise inspection by the Ho Chi Minh City market management force recently, the trading atmosphere at many famous shopping points such as Ben Thanh market and Saigon Square shopping center (Ben Thanh ward) has become quiet.
Records at Saigon Square show that many kiosks are closed, covered with tarpaulins, while some stalls are only slightly open to observe customers entering and leaving. Buyers who want to see goods must wait outside, or stall owners quickly pull tarpaulins up to transact and then immediately close them. This is a familiar scene every time functional forces launch inspections.
Mr. Cao Thanh Hung, a tourist, said that strengthening the inspection of fake and counterfeit goods is necessary to protect consumers. "Shopping in famous places, everyone wants to be assured of the quality and price. Tightening management, customers will trust more and shop more strongly" - Mr. Hung said.
Faced with the complicated situation of counterfeit goods, fake goods and goods infringing on intellectual property rights in many localities, functional forces are simultaneously strengthening inspections and tightening management to prevent violations and protect consumer rights.
According to Mr. Dam Manh Hieu - Deputy Head of Sub-Department of Customs Region II, the situation of smuggling, trade fraud, illegal transportation of goods and counterfeit goods, and tricks are becoming more sophisticated, especially in the context of strong e-commerce development. Some businesses may take advantage of the open mechanism to commit violations.
From May 7 to May 30, functional forces simultaneously launched a peak period of inspection and handling of violations with the spirit of "no forbidden zones, no exceptions".
Regarding inspection and handling in the domestic market, Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy - Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Sub-Department - said that the market management force always identifies the spirit of "working day and night, working overtime on holidays" to protect people's health and contribute to promoting economic growth. In which, the group of counterfeit goods and goods infringing intellectual property rights is considered a key task.
In the coming time, this force will continue to tighten the work of combating counterfeit goods, and at the same time require leaders of market management teams to take the lead, set an example and strictly maintain discipline and order throughout the unit. Inspection work will be strengthened in the stage of goods circulation, especially for goods sources from borders, seaports, and airports into the inland; focusing on business points, warehouses, commercial centers, wholesale markets, production facilities and craft villages.
“We have compiled a list of areas, routes, commercial centers and prominent markets in the city. Mobile market management teams are also assigned to review key targets, ringleaders, and groups to trace the origin and warehouse of goods in order to promptly inspect and strictly handle violations,” Mr. Huy said.
From the beginning of 2026 to now, the Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Sub-Department has inspected and handled 882 violations related to counterfeit trademarks, intellectual property rights infringement; temporarily seized more than 77,100 products of all kinds such as shoes, cosmetics, clothes, motorbike parts, phone parts... with a total estimated value of more than 10.1 billion VND. The total amount of fines is more than 5.1 billion VND, and at the same time transferred 2 cases with signs of crime to the investigating agency.
In the peak period from May 7 to May 20, 2026 alone, the Sub-Department inspected and handled 138 violations related to counterfeit goods and intellectual property rights infringement; temporarily seized 7,287 products with a total estimated value of more than 4.6 billion VND.
