New crime method, mixing fake drugs with real drugs

(Chinhphu.vn) - A group of counterfeit drug violators recently used a new criminal method. After production, under the guise of being pharmacists selling drugs for pharmaceutical companies, the subjects used social networks to advertise and introduce "hand-carried goods". To create trust, they initially mixed real drugs with fake drugs before selling them on the market to deceive consumers...

Thai Nguyen Province Market Management Department inspects pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, functional foods, and medical equipment in the area.

This is the information shared by Mr. Tran Huu Linh, Director of the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development (Ministry of Industry and Trade) in the Government E-newspaper when discussing many cases related to fake milk, fake medicine, poor quality functional foods... affecting people's health that were cracked down by the Ministry of Public Security .

Regarding these incidents, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed Official Dispatch No. 40/CD-TTg dated April 17, 2025 on handling the case of production and distribution of fake milk. The dispatch requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to strengthen market management, promptly detect, prevent and strictly handle acts of production and trading of fake food, including fake milk.

In August 2024, Market Management Team No. 1, Da Nang City Market Management Department temporarily detained more than 80 units of smuggled functional food products, worth more than 30 million VND.

General inspection of drug, pharmaceutical and cosmetic business activities

Mr. Linh said that immediately after receiving instructions from the head of the Government, the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development (DDM) advised the Minister of Industry and Trade to issue Official Dispatch 2755/CD-BCT dated April 18, 2025 on strengthening work, inspection and control of the market.

The Department of Market Management and Development also issued a directive dated April 22, 2025 to the Market Management Departments of provinces and cities to develop a plan for a general inspection of business activities, warehouses, factories, and production facilities of drugs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, health protection foods, medicinal herbs, and traditional medicine ingredients, especially focusing on drugs, processed foods, and health protection foods in the areas under its management, promptly detecting and strictly handling violations in the production and trade of counterfeit goods, origin and quality, and infringement of intellectual property rights; strengthening management and supervision of e-commerce operating conditions of business models based on digital technology applications. At the same time, coordinate with relevant local authorities to handle individuals and organizations using social networking sites to trade in counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin, poor quality, and infringement of intellectual property rights for the above items and fields.

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has also issued many documents directing and urging the People's Committees of provinces on the prevention, combat and handling of acts of production and trade of counterfeit goods, banned goods, goods of unknown origin; acts of infringement of intellectual property rights; acts of violation of laws on quality, measurement, food safety; acts of violation of laws on protection of consumer rights and other acts of commercial fraud according to other legal provisions.

Regarding milk products alone, the Market Management force nationwide inspected and handled 783 cases; fine amount: 2,202 million VND; quantity of violating goods: 58,187 boxes, 451 crates, 20,394 bottles/cans.

Regarding pharmaceutical products, the force inspected and handled 985 violations of pharmaceutical products and functional foods; administrative fines of nearly 32 billion VND; value of violated goods over 881 million VND; value of destroyed goods over 15 billion VND.

In December 2023, the Hanoi Market Management Department coordinated with the Economic Police Team and Chuong My District Police to suddenly inspect a facility producing and trading fake functional foods in Chuong My District (Hanoi).

New crime methods

Sharing about the tricks used by the subjects to trade in fake milk and fake medicine for a long time, Director Tran Huu Linh said: "The tricks of the subjects in the recent cases are that the enterprises fully carry out the procedures and business documents according to the law to cover up the violations of the products. These are all products that can only be detected when tested. While in principle, the products and goods have not shown any signs of violations for the authorities to be able to take samples for testing."

In addition, through investigation, it was found that the violators had fraudulently named the products as "Milk", "medicine" but in fact the names as declared and labeled the products were "Health protection foods", "Supplemental foods", "Formulated nutritional products", "Food for special diets" ...

"The group of subjects violating counterfeit drugs recently used a new criminal method. They did not counterfeit products currently circulating on the market but created their own drug names and company names, most of which had 'virtual' headquarters abroad such as Malaysia, Singapore... After production, under the guise of being pharmacists selling drugs for pharmaceutical companies, the subjects used social networks to advertise and introduce 'hand-carried goods'. To create trust, they initially mixed real drugs with fake drugs before selling them on the market to deceive consumers.

The subjects rent warehouses as production sites in deserted areas, dead-end alleys, deep in alleys. Then, they hire production workers who are relatives or acquaintances, mainly from other localities. During the production process, the workers live in closed warehouses, do not contact with people around to avoid, making it difficult for the supervision and inspection work of the authorities," Mr. Tran Huu Linh informed.

In November 2024, Market Management Team No. 1, Market Management Department of Phu Yen province discovered a large quantity of energy powder and functional foods produced abroad, without accompanying invoices or legal documents.

Regarding solutions, the Director of the Department of Food Safety and Hygiene requested that ministries and branches responsible for state management of food quality, standards and safety as well as raw milk and agricultural products provide, share or regularly notify information about enterprises that have declared their products.

Strengthening the review and completion of the legal policy system on State management and inspection and handling of violations regarding health protection foods, processed foods in general, drugs, pharmaceuticals, and milk in particular; Completing the signed coordination regulations in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, focusing on effective implementation.

In particular, the Department of Management and Development of Information and Communications recommends that specialized forces and localities need to immediately build specialized databases and strengthen connections and information sharing to serve the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in general, and against counterfeit goods, goods violating intellectual property rights and food safety in particular.

In parallel with implementing professional measures, authorities also need to strengthen propaganda, dissemination and education of related laws to raise awareness and responsibility of people and businesses.

In addition to the role of the authorities, Mr. Tran Huu Linh also suggested that consumers should proactively raise awareness in buying and consuming goods in accordance with the provisions of the law, avoiding unintentionally or intentionally assisting criminals in smuggling, manufacturing and trading in prohibited goods, counterfeit goods, fake goods, poor quality goods, and intellectual property infringement.

When buying goods, consumers should choose reputable addresses and brands that are trusted and voted by many consumers, especially when buying online; do not buy products and goods with unusually cheap colors, shapes, colors, flavors, or prices; do products and goods have sharp, clear labels with full information about quality, origin, and source; quickly check the product through the manufacturer's hotline on the product packaging, information on the business's website, hotline phone number, look up business information on the public page of the tax authority, market management or the Intellectual Property Office. Consumers also need to proactively apply technology to trace the origin of goods.

"When buying and selling goods, if consumers detect unusual signs or suspect counterfeit, fake, or poor quality goods, they need to proactively inform and report violations to the authorities for timely verification and handling," the Director of the Department of Management and Development of Information and Communications suggested.

Phan Trang

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/thu-doan-pham-toi-moi-tron-thuoc-gia-voi-thuoc-that-102250424184329125.htm