In a recent development, authorities in Hung Yen province have made a significant breakthrough in the fight against counterfeiting and intellectual property violations. The Provincial Police’s Economic Security Division, in collaboration with relevant units, conducted a surprise inspection of three locations in Van Giang district belonging to N.C.T. (DOB: 1997, from Gia Lam, Hanoi) and L.V.T. (DOB: 1993, from Thanh Hoa province).
Inspection site photo.
The inspection uncovered a substantial amount of suspected counterfeit goods, including 396 5kg bags of Catstrang-branded mixed cat food, 188 20kg bags of unlabeled bulk ingredients presumed to be for repackaging, 42 unlabeled zip bags containing cat food, and 830 stickers bearing information of Fusion Group – the exclusive importer of authentic products from South Korea. Additionally, various equipment and tools used for production, packaging, and online sales, such as bag sealing machines, electronic scales, laptops, and mobile devices, were also seized.
Prior to the inspection, the Economic Security Division had been monitoring two social media accounts (on Zalo and Facebook) and four e-commerce platform accounts (on Shopee and Tiktok) managed by N.C.T., which exhibited signs of selling Catstrang-branded products without proper provenance and suspected of being counterfeit. Surveillance revealed that the suspects had been engaged in the production, filling, packaging, and distribution of these products since December 2024.
The modus operandi of the suspects was highly organized and sophisticated. They employed anonymous livestream selling, showcasing only the products without revealing their identities or location. They frequently changed their operating hours and conducted swift and discreet transactions. The counterfeiting operation paid meticulous attention to detail, replicating genuine product packaging and labels, including weight, size, and color. They maintained a tight control over access to their premises, keeping the doors closed and closely monitoring visitors.
The preliminary findings indicate violations of regulations pertaining to the production and trade of counterfeit goods intended for animal consumption, as well as intellectual property rights. The case file and seized items have been transferred to the Security Investigation Division for further handling in accordance with legal procedures.
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