In brief
Vietnam’s authorities have intensified their raids on counterfeit luxury goods after a surge in US pressure, targeting warehouses and flea markets in Ho Chi Minh City. The government seized thousands of fake branded slippers, handbags and watches, seizing goods worth around $76,000. Local vendors say the enforcement focuses on high‑value items, yet fake products still circulate at low prices. The crackdown is tied to the US declaring Vietnam a priority foreign country on intellectual‑property violations, threatening tariffs if steps are not taken.
When Vietnam's police raided two warehouses outside Ho Chi Minh City earlier this year, they uncovered more than 23,000 pairs of counterfeit slippers bearing logos from Nike, Adidas, Crocs and Gucci.
The goods were all fakes, sold for as little as $30 against a retail price that could reach $900.
Those shops were part of a long‑established black‑market network that throws a wide range of fake luxury items, from handbags to watches, onto the local shelves for consumers who cannot afford premium prices.
After the raid, Vietnamese officials seized goods worth about VND 2 bn (£57,559; $76,053). The move comes as the country faces international scrutiny, especially from the United States, which last month named Vietnam a priority country over intellectual‑property (IP) violations.
“The crackdown is becoming stricter,” said Thanh Truc, a market vendor who sells faux sportswear. “Previous raids targeted mainly high‑value luxury items, but this time the police are also focusing on goods that are cheaper and easier to sell.
Vietnam has long been known as a hub for cheap knock‑offs. The coastlines and proximity to China have created a supply chain where original manufacturer parts are used to produce fakes that then trade in the local market.
Arrested on 10 June, a ring in Thanh Hua province that made over 10,000 counterfeit jewellery pieces was dismantled, a move that owner Thi Nguyen notes could squeeze some vendors out of business while offering a potential boon for original designers.
However, many consumers still value counterfeit items for their affordability. Huy, a worker from Da Nang, says he will continue buying fakes if the crackdown does not succeed, as the cheaper prices make them the only viable option for many.
Educator Thi Thanh Huong Tran adds that counterfeit markets thrive because a large portion of the population lives below the threshold to purchase authentic luxury goods. She notes that the demand will always drive new sellers to find ways around IP enforcement.