Hanoi seizes series of fake Dior, Nike products

Dior bags, Nike shoes and hundreds of imitation fashion products of famous brands priced at only a few hundred thousand Vietnamese dong (VND100,000 = $4) were seized by authorities in the night market area of Hanoi's Old Quarter.

Aiming to prevent intellectual property infringement crimes, while ensuring security ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday in January, authorities recently inspected the night market of Hang Ngang-Hang Dao-Hang Duong pedestrian street.

Functional forces discovered many stalls and shops openly selling all kinds of "branded products".

Hundreds of handbags carrying labels like LV, Dior, and Gucci are widely sold at stalls located in the night market area of Hanoi's Old Quarter.

These products are sold at super cheap prices of only VND100,000-200,000 ($8). Meanwhile, real products are sold for up to tens to hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong.

This Christian Dior bag is for sale for more than VND70 million ($2,840) on the genuine website, but at the Hanoi Old Quarter night market, it is priced at VND200,000 ($8.5).

Inspecting the shops at 85 and 90 Hang Dao street, functional forces discovered clothes, backpacks and sports shoes bearing famous and protected trademarks in Vietnam like Nike, The North Face, and Adidas.

At the time of inspection, the shop owner could only present a business registration license, with his branded goods having absolutely no invoices and documents proving their origin.

Sportswear products suspected to be imitations of famous brands like Nike and Adidas are sold at very cheap prices, from only VND200,000 ($8.5).

The North Face branded coats sold at the store are of very poor quality compared to the real thing.

Tran Huu Linh, chief of the General Department of Market Management, said that with the assigned tasks, market management forces throughout the country aim to prevent smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods ahead of the year-end holidays and the Lunar New Year holiday.

All goods are classified and counted by the market management force for further handling according to regulations.