Vietnamese customs authorities have seized nearly 15,000 cosmetics and fashion items suspected of trademark infringement in a nationwide anti-counterfeit crackdown, authorities said.
The move followed an official directive issued by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung calling for stronger measures against counterfeit goods and intellectual property violations.
On Wednesday, anti-smuggling officers and customs officials at the Huu Nghi border gate uncovered large quantities of products suspected of trademark infringement in suspicious transit shipments.
In the first case, authorities seized 10,508 cosmetics and accessories suspected of trademark infringement, including skincare products, serum, facial cleanser, foundation and 1,200 crossbody bags labelled The North Face.
In a separate case, customs officers seized 4,350 fashion items, including belts, shoes and handbags suspected of counterfeiting brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Nike and Charles & Keith.
Authorities said investigations were continuing to verify the violations and determine further legal action.
The Department of Customs also disclosed an earlier case involving imported dates suspected of infringing the Dates Sanwan trademark protected in Vietnam. The shipment was detected during customs procedures at Saigon Port in February.
The infringing goods were valued at more than VND 2.27 billion (USD 86,300). Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City later fined the company VND 490 million, suspended its operations for two months and ordered the destruction of the violating goods.
According to the Customs Department, counterfeit goods, substandard products and intellectual property violations remain widespread across border crossings, seaports, international airports, e-commerce platforms and social media.
The agency said counterfeit goods mainly involved cosmetics, fashion items, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, milk products, electronics and manufacturing materials, posing risks to consumer health and the business environment.
The customs force has launched a dedicated anti-counterfeit and intellectual property enforcement plan for 2026. In the first four months of the year, authorities uncovered and handled 23 intellectual property violation cases.
The cases involved products ranging from luxury fashion brands such as Dior, Louis Vuitton and Adidas to electronics, food, industrial components and auto parts. Several cases resulted in heavy fines, while others were recommended for criminal prosecution.