Unveiling the Illicit Trade: Arrest of a Director Dealing in Over 55,000 Counterfeit Thang Long Cigarettes

In a recent development, on the evening of May 14, the Economic Police in coordination with the Tra Lu Commune Police (Xuan Truong district) apprehended two individuals red-handed while they were in the act of consuming a large quantity of counterfeit Thang Long cigarettes at the warehouse of Manh Duc Distributor. The seized evidence included 109 cartons containing nearly 55,000 packs of cigarettes and nearly 1,000 boxes bearing the Thang Long label, with an estimated total value of over VND 500 million.

According to the police, these counterfeit cigarettes were openly advertised for sale on Facebook groups at prices significantly lower than the genuine product, primarily targeting dealers in the northern region. The perpetrators employed fake social media accounts, disposable phone numbers, and messaging apps such as Zalo, Whatsapp, and Messenger to conduct their transactions, along with delivery services, to conceal their activities from the authorities. Notably, they avoided selling locally and sought customers from other provinces to evade detection.

The investigation identified Tran Van Truong as the ringleader of this operation. Under the guise of a company dealing in confectionery, alcohol, and beverages, Truong created fake accounts to promote and sell these counterfeit products, while Tran Thi Lan managed the warehouse and communicated with customers.

The Nam Dinh Provincial Police are currently expanding their investigation to uncover the source of these counterfeit goods and bring the involved individuals to justice, in accordance with the law.