Saigon Square continues to 'hold out', doors locked after major counterfeit goods inspection

Saigon Square continues to 'hold out', doors locked after major counterfeit goods inspection - Photo 1.

Dozens of stalls at Saigon Square (District 1) continue to remain closed - Photo: NHAT XUAN

According to Tuoi Tre Online on the afternoon of June 1, although tourists and domestic shoppers still flock to this bustling area, the opposite image is seen in Saigon Square.

Dozens of stalls selling clothes, glasses, watches... are still closed. In particular, stalls that used to sell products labeled with famous brands such as Louis Vuitton (LV), Gucci, Dior, YSL... are all deserted.

Only stalls selling specialties, souvenirs, and high-end non-branded goods were operating normally. Many small traders who were not open for business were still quietly present inside, standing and sitting scatteredly as if observing the situation.

Saigon Square - Photo 2.

Luxury brands are "absent" at Saigon Square - Photo: NHAT XUAN

When asked why so many stalls closed, most vendors avoided giving specific answers, only joking that the stall owners "went to a wedding" or even "went to a funeral on the island".

Only Ms. G., a souvenir seller, said the real reason was that many stalls proactively "temporarily closed to avoid having their goods inspected". Ms. G. said that some stalls were worried about the authorities suddenly checking their goods, so they proactively closed to "avoid".

Saigon Square - Photo 3.

Many stalls are still in a "closed door" situation - Photo: NHAT XUAN

Saigon Square continues to 'hold out', doors locked after major counterfeit goods inspection - Photo 4.

Stalls without doors are covered with cloth or canvas - Photo: NHAT XUAN

Saigon Square continues to 'hold out', doors locked after major counterfeit goods inspection - Photo 5.

Stalls selling specialties, souvenirs, and high-end branded goods are operating normally - Photo: NHAT XUAN

According to information from the market management force, on May 29, six working groups of the market management department simultaneously inspected business locations in many areas of the Saigon Square shopping center.

Initial inspection results recorded a series of products for sale here bearing the labels of world- famous brands such as Rolex, Longines, Patek Philippe watches; handbags, leather wallets of LV, Gucci, Dior, YSL, Chanel, Celine... and many models of Gucci-branded eyeglasses. However, most of these are suspected to be fake or counterfeit goods.

This is not the first time Saigon Square has been inspected, but violations continue to persist.

According to the market management agency, if the value of counterfeit goods is under 200 million VND, the violation will only be subject to an administrative penalty. Even if the violation is repeated, the fine will increase but it is not enough of a deterrent. Many establishments accept to pay the fine to continue operating, causing the counterfeit situation to persist and become difficult to eradicate.

Counterfeit goods are still openly sold in the center of Ho Chi Minh City.

In contrast to the quiet atmosphere at Saigon Square after the inspections, Ben Thanh market just a few hundred meters away was still bustling with buyers and sellers at noon on June 1.

Among them, the most bustling are the fashion stalls selling a series of products such as handbags, leather wallets, shoes, watches labeled with luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Chanel, YSL, Hermès, Goyard, Celine... openly with prices ranging from only a few hundred thousand to a few million VND - dozens of times lower than the listed price of the brand.

"I asked to buy a Prada bag, the seller quoted 1.2 million VND and then reduced it to 400,000 VND when I was about to leave. I bought it for fun without any expectations" - Ms. Nguyen Thi Trang, a tourist from Hanoi, shared.

Saigon Square continues to 'hold out', doors locked after major counterfeit goods inspection - Photo 6.