Ho Chi Minh City police arrest 5 for producing fake Thai medicated oil

They are Nguyen Phuong Hoan, 36, his wife Nguyen Thi Thanh, 35, Bui Ngoc Tram, 22, Nguyen Ngoc Kim Chau, 20, and Huynh Thi Ngoc Han, 20, all residents of the city.

The suspects are being investigated for the crime of producing and trading counterfeit goods classified as medicines for treatment or disease prevention.

According to investigators, the group organized the illegal production of counterfeit Siang Pure Oil-labeled products.

Hoan was identified as the mastermind, while the other suspects served as workers who directly participated in various stages of production.

At around 9:00 am on December 13, officers from the economic police division, in coordination with police in Binh My Commune, conducted an administrative inspection into an unnumbered house on Street 171 in Hamlet 18, Binh My Commune.

At the scene, police discovered the suspects mixing oil solutions using chemicals of unknown origin, lacking any medicinal properties or therapeutic function.

The substances were allegedly purchased online and mixed in arbitrary ratios before being manually poured into glass bottles.

The products were then labeled, boxed, and shrink-wrapped to create finished goods resembling genuine items.

Police determined that the chemicals used were not pharmaceutical substances but industrial fragrance materials, including essential oils, solvents, and colorants.

These substances have no therapeutic, pain-relieving, or antiseptic effects as claimed on the packaging and may pose risks such as skin irritation, contact dermatitis, burning sensations, or essential oil poisoning.

The products were deemed particularly dangerous for children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with sensitive health conditions.

Following the initial inspection, officers expanded their search to a second location at No. 5 Vo Van Bich Street, Hamlet 15, Binh My Commune.

They seized more than 4,300 bottles of finished counterfeit medicated oil, along with heat-sealing machines, chemical containers, labels, packaging boxes, empty bottles, and various tools and equipment used in the production of fake goods.

Initial investigations showed that Hoan and his accomplices produced and distributed hundreds of thousands of counterfeit medicated oil products, selling them at prices far below those of genuine goods.

The operation caused serious harm to public health, infringed upon consumer rights, and damaged the reputation of the legitimate brand owner.

The suspects deliberately chose production and storage locations in sparsely populated areas, far from residential neighborhoods, in an apparent attempt to evade detection by authorities.

The city’s investigators are continuing to expand the case to clarify the scale of distribution and the sources of the chemicals used, while also identifying related individuals and organizations for handling in accordance with the law.