On 28/12, Nguyen Phuong Hoan, his wife Nguyen Thi Thanh (35), and three others were arrested by the Economic Police Department for investigation into the production and trade of counterfeit medicinal and preventive drugs.
 |
Nguyen Phuong Hoan and Nguyen Thi Thanh (from left) with three employees. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Police
In mid-December, authorities inspected an unmarked house on Street 171, Binh My commune (formerly Cu Chi district), catching the group red-handed mixing various unregulated chemicals to produce fake medicated oil.
A subsequent search of a second location at 5 Vo Van Bich street (Hamlet 15, Binh My commune) led police to seize over 4,300 finished oil bottles, along with numerous heat presses, chemical containers, labels, and packaging boxes used for production.
The chemical production process by Nguyen Phuong Hoan and his wife. Video: Ho Chi Minh City Police
According to the group's statements, the fake medicated oil production process was entirely manual. They purchased industrial chemicals, solvents, colorants, and flavorings via social media, then mixed them arbitrarily before decanting them into glass bottles, affixing labels, packaging them, and applying shrink wrap, counterfeiting the "Siang Pure Oil" brand. To avoid detection, they chose sparsely populated areas, far from urban centers, to set up their workshop.
 |
The fake medicated oil bottles. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Police
Police determined that the ingredients used had no medicinal properties whatsoever, offering no therapeutic, pain-relieving, or antiseptic effects. Using these products posed risks of skin irritation, burning sensations, and essential oil poisoning, being particularly dangerous for children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
Before their arrest, the group had distributed hundreds of thousands of fake products to the market at prices much lower than genuine products, generating substantial illicit profits. The case is currently under expanded investigation to clarify the chemical supply sources and the scale of consumption.
Quoc Thang
