On 29/8, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Police Investigation Agency indicted Huynh Van Man and his wife Nguyen Thi Bich Phuong, both 40 years old, residing in Tan Long commune, Dong Thap province, along with Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, 49 years old, residing in Cho Moi commune, An Giang province. They are being investigated for manufacturing and trading counterfeit therapeutic drugs, under Article 194 of the Penal Code.

Man and Thoa have been temporarily detained. Phuong has been placed under a travel restriction due to caring for a young child.

The three suspects indicted. Photo: Lam Son

The case came to light when Thanh Hoa Provincial Police monitored online activities and received numerous reports from citizens regarding products advertised as 'herbal remedies' for arthritis and rhinitis, suspected to be counterfeit drugs.

According to the complaints, some purchasers used the products but experienced no improvement in their conditions; instead, they reported increased pain. The Economic Police Department subsequently investigated related Facebook fan pages and accounts, uncovering suspicious manufacturing and sales activities for products bearing the names "Traditional Healer Nguyen Van Sau" and "Traditional Healer Do Thai Nam".

Authorities determined that around 2020, Man and Phuong began planning to produce counterfeit goods. Despite lacking professional training in medicine or pharmacy and not being licensed to manufacture drugs, they acquired raw materials, ordered labels, and then produced products in pill and powder forms.

The products were not only visually designed but also associated with the names of "traditional healers" who were presented as the prescribers and compounders of the medicine. Investigators confirmed that no traditional healers named Nguyen Van Sau or Do Thai Nam existed at the addresses printed on the products. These two 'healers' were fabricated by Man and his wife to build consumer trust.

Products for rheumatism and rhinitis offered for sale on Facebook. Photo: Lam Son

Crushing Western medicine and mixing it with traditional medicine ingredients

According to investigators, to achieve pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects, Man purchased a mixture of Western drugs from Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa and then blended it with traditional medicine ingredients.

The mixture included: paracetamol, dexamethasone, chlorpheniramine, along with vitamins B1, B6, and B12. After crushing and mixing, the ingredients were processed into pills or powder, packaged, and labeled with the names "Traditional Healer Nguyen Van Sau" or "Traditional Medicine Do Thai Nam". The products were widely advertised and sold on Facebook.

The Forensic Science Institute (Ministry of Public Security) assessment concluded that these products, labeled as traditional medicine, contained acetaminophen (paracetamol), dexamethasone, and chlorpheniramine. Dexamethasone and chlorpheniramine are on the list of banned substances for use in the production and trade of health protection foods. These active pharmaceutical ingredients were also not declared on the labels of the products sold by Man and his wife.

Authorities seized over one tonne of raw materials used for drug production, 50 kg of pre-ground Western medicine powder ready for mixing with traditional medicine ingredients, and over 100,000 finished products.

Inside Man and his wife's counterfeit drug production facility in Dong Thap. Photo: Lam Son

Production operations took place in Dong Thap, with social media serving as the primary channel for advertising and customer acquisition. Once an order was finalized, products were dispatched via express delivery services.

In addition to direct sales, the group also sold wholesale to various distributors in many localities. Investigators are expanding the case to uncover the tactics of this counterfeit drug manufacturing ring.

Le Hoang