Authorities in Thanh Hoa Province have initiated legal proceedings against 26 individuals involved in the manufacture and distribution of fraudulent pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. The operation utilized sophisticated and reclusive methods to deceive the public.
Operational Methods and Distribution Channels The group targeted vulnerable demographics, including the elderly, women, and children, by exploiting their health concerns. The counterfeit inventory consisted of joint pain treatments, skin-enhancing supplements, and growth-support products falsely labeled as being sourced from the US, Japan, and Australia.
Production facilities were strategically located in isolated areas to evade detection, with labor primarily consisting of family members. The process involved purchasing unverified raw materials, which were then processed using industrial machinery into tablets and packaged as finished goods.
Marketing strategies relied heavily on e-commerce platforms and live-streaming. Notably, the group employed overseas promoters to establish a false sense of authenticity. The logistics network featured complex intermediary stages and obscured warehouse information to prevent the tracing of the goods’ origins.
Health Risks and Scale of Violation Law enforcement officials highlighted severe health risks, noting that certain weight-loss products contained Sibutramine—a prohibited substance linked to strokes and heart failure. More than 7,000 product units were seized during the raid. Preliminary investigations indicate that the ring generated over 50 billion VND in illicit revenue since the beginning of 2024.