Suspects involved in an alleged network producing, trading, and smuggling counterfeit branded goods are detained by police in Thanh Hoa Province, north-central Vietnam. Photo: Supplied
Investigators discovered that two Ho Chi Minh City-based companies, namely Helia Fine Jewelry and Wii Diamonds, were producing and selling fake luxury jewelry through social media live streams.
The items carried logos of global brands such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, and Chrome Hearts, marketed as ‘high-end designs,’ ‘international-standard jewelry,’ and ‘custom-made luxury pieces,’ at discounted prices.
Dao Thuy Trang, 27, deputy director of Helia Fine Jewelry, admitted the company was licensed to sell jewelry under its own ‘Helia’ brand but it also commissioned counterfeit pieces.
Trang was accused of working with Nguyen Van Phuc and others to manufacture counterfeit jewelry carrying luxury brand logos.
She also contacted suppliers in Hong Kong through the WeChat messaging platform to import fake Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton, and Bvlgari products for sale in Vietnam, police said.
Law enforcement officers in Thanh Hoa Province, north-central Vietnam question suspect Dao Thuy Trang, 27, deputy director of Helia Fine Jewelry Company based in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Supplied
Police searches resulted in the seizure of more than 300 counterfeit items including necklaces, bracelets, and rings, along with specialized equipment such as polishing machines, laser welders, gold rollers, engraving tools, and chemicals.
Authorities estimate that since 2022, the suspects had sold over 10,000 fake pieces, earning illicit profits of approximately VND30 billion (US$1.1 million).
Police have charged five suspects, including Dao Thuy Trang; Nguyen Thi Dieu Linh, 26; Pham Van Duc, 32; Ho Khac Chau, 38; and Nguyen Van Huy, 33, with smuggling and industrial property rights infringement.
Three additional suspects, including Nguyen Van Phuc, 38; Nguyen Thi Bich Tram, 21; and Tran Nguyen Tram Anh, 35, have been charged with industrial property rights infringement, while Tran Duy Phu, 44, faces smuggling charges.
In a separate investigation announced on Wednesday, Thanh Hoa police filed charges against and detained six suspects accused of operating a gold-smuggling network that transported around 200 kilograms of gold bars from Cambodia into Vietnam.
Investigators said the group exploited the significant price gap between domestic and international gold markets as well as rising demand among Vietnamese consumers.
The suspects allegedly organized a closed smuggling operation spanning several localities, including Tay Ninh Province, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai City, and Thanh Hoa Province.
Authorities are continuing to expand the investigation.
