On 3/7, the Economic Police Department of TP HCM Police prosecuted Dao and Ly for infringing industrial property rights.

Nguyen Duc Dao and his wife with the counterfeit branded goods. Photo: TP HCM Police

This action is part of the TP HCM Police's 45-day high-intensity campaign to suppress crime, aligning with the Prime Minister's directive to enhance efforts in combating, preventing, and prosecuting the production and trade of counterfeit goods and those infringing intellectual property rights.

Investigations revealed that the couple, Dao and Ly, spearheaded this operation, initiating production earlier this year. To evade detection by authorities, they employed a decentralized production strategy. Instead of centralizing operations, they sourced raw materials from various suppliers and then outsourced individual stages, such as sewing the shirt bodies, embroidering logos, and attaching labels, to different external facilities. The couple then reassembled these separate components at a location they managed for final assembly, packaging, and distribution to the market.

In late May, the Economic Police Department, collaborating with Bay Hien ward police, conducted a raid on a business registered under Ly's name. Inside, authorities discovered nearly 10,000 finished t-shirts bearing counterfeit marks of prominent brands including Lacoste, Balenciaga, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Gap, New Era, Essentials, LV, Polo, Zara, and Armani. Numerous tools and labels used for the counterfeiting operation were also seized.

Searching the couple's home, police seized nearly 15,000 fake branded shirts. Photo: TP HCM Police

Following further investigation based on Dao's statements, police intercepted a shipment of goods being transported by a freight forwarder for distribution, seizing an additional 4,000 products.

A search of another garment processing facility in Tan Phu ward uncovered hundreds of shirts in various stages of completion.

In total, authorities confiscated nearly 15,000 counterfeit t-shirts, infringing upon 11 brands legally protected in Vietnam. The seized goods are estimated to be worth billions of VND.

The investigating agency is currently expanding its inquiry to clarify the roles of individuals who may have assisted the couple.

Quoc Thang