Nguyen Dinh Quy, 30, owner of a shoe shop on Chua Lang street, was recently tried by the Hanoi Area 2 People's Court for industrial property infringement.
According to the indictment, during an inspection of his shop on 5/1, authorities discovered 458 pairs of Nike and Adidas brand shoes, with a total value of 343 million VND. All items lacked invoices and documents, and were identified as counterfeits of brands protected in Vietnam.
Quy testified that he began his shoe business in July 2024, sourcing products through Facebook groups. After ordering, sellers would ship products to his store. He claimed ignorance of the suppliers' specific details, as contact was solely through social media.
The procuracy determined that Quy directly managed the shop, ran advertisements, provided customer consultations, and responded to inquiries. Three part-time employees were responsible for packaging, direct sales, and handing products over to shipping companies.
Aware of counterfeits, still advertised as 'high quality'
Quy admitted knowing that the Nike and Adidas shoes he sold were not genuine. When offering them for sale, the shop owner presented them as 'copy 1:1' and 'high-quality fakes', priced 2-3 times lower than authentic products.
Quy also listed high prices on his website, then applied promotional programs and discounts to attract buyers. In addition to the physical store, the shoes were sold via TikTok and a dedicated website.
The defendant stated he profited approximately 100 million VND and voluntarily returned 20 million VND during the investigation. According to the indictment, in 2024, Quy had previously received an administrative fine for selling counterfeit branded goods.
Court demands clarification on 3 billion VND in account
During the trial, Quy admitted to the actions as charged in the indictment. Regarding the 3 billion VND in his account, the defendant claimed it was money borrowed from friends for business but failed to provide supporting documents.
At the procuracy's request, the court decided to return the case file to clarify this detail.
By Hai Thu
