Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Since the beginning of 2026, the Market Surveillance Department of Ho Chi Minh City has inspected and handled 882 cases involving counterfeit trademark goods and intellectual property infringement, focusing on regular and surprise inspections at hotspot areas including Ben Thanh Market and Saigon Square.
The information was released by representatives of the department at a socio-economic press briefing organised by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee on May 21.
Nguyen Quang Huy, deputy head of the department, said that amid the continued open sale of counterfeit and imitation goods in central areas of the city, the fight against counterfeit products and intellectual property infringement has been identified as a key and regular task throughout 2026.
Since the start of the year, inspections by authorities have resulted in the seizure of more than 77,100 products, including footwear, cosmetics, clothing, motorcycle parts and phone accessories, with an estimated total value exceeding 10.1 billion VND (383,302 USD). Total fines surpassed 5.1 billion VND, while two cases showing signs of criminal activity were transferred to investigative agencies.
At Ben Thanh Market and Saigon Square alone, market surveillance forces handled 71 violations, confiscating 1,574 counterfeit trademark products worth more than 431 million VND (16,356 USD), imposing fines exceeding 307 million VND and ordering the destruction of all violating goods.
During a peak enforcement campaign from May 7-20, 2026, the department handled 138 cases involving counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement, seizing 7,287 products worth more than 4.6 billion VND. Authorities imposed penalties in 86 cases totaling 831 million VND and transferred one case with criminal signs to investigators.
At the two hotspot locations, authorities dealt with eight violations, confiscating 213 counterfeit trademark products valued at more than 42 million VND, imposing fines exceeding 56 million VND and ordering the destruction of all infringing goods.
According to Huy, Ho Chi Minh City has implemented multiple specialised plans targeting e-commerce violations, smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement across the city. Market surveillance teams have been instructed to intensify inspections. Violations are handled under a “zero tolerance, no restricted zones, no exceptions” approach.
The department is also stepping up the application of technology, digital transformation and databases in market supervision and inspections, while building a capable and disciplined workforce and strictly handling officials found protecting or assisting violators.
To comprehensively tackle counterfeit and imitation goods, the department will continue increasing after-hours inspections and deploying rapid-response teams to receive information, verify cases and conduct surprise inspections. It will also coordinate with police, market management boards, commercial centres and local authorities to carry out simultaneous inspections at hotspots such as Ben Thanh Market and Saigon Square.
The department has also required 100% of businesses and traders to sign commitments not to trade in counterfeit or intellectual property-infringing goods, while intensifying inspections of e-commerce and social media platforms and unofficial sales channels considered high-risk areas for violations.
Cases involving counterfeit goods worth 200 million VND or more, or repeated offences, will be transferred to investigative agencies for possible criminal prosecution./.
