Fake designer handbags and sneakers seized at Cat Lai Port. Photo: Thu Hoa

On December 22, HCM City Customs Department removed the infringing element of over 1,000 industrial property rights-infringing handbags and sneakers in the shipment.

According to the Customs Enforcement Team under the municipal customs department, the shipment arrived at Cat Lai Port in April and was named on the declaration by Vinh Phuoc Thanh Trading and Service Co., Ltd.

The company declared items in the shipment including 370 packages of wooden shelves; 350 school backpacks; and 398 packages of food seasoning.

The team coordinated with the 1st Zone Sai Gon Seaport Customs Branch to conduct a physical inspection and detected only 45 packages of wooden shelves and school backpacks in the shipment.

Recently, the Vietnam Intellectual Property Research Institute has provided a conclusion on industrial property assessment and identification for these handbags and sneakers as counterfeit trademark goods which are protected under Article 213.2 of the Intellectual Property Law.

Based on the physical inspection and assessment results, the Customs authority concluded that Vinh Phuoc Thanh Trading and Service Co., Ltd. falsely declared the name of goods in transit; transported products subject to plant quarantine but without a phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country to Vietnam's territory, including: 50 bags and boxes of dried mushrooms, dried jujubes and seeds; transited goods with counterfeit trademarks registered for trademark protection.

The team made a report on administrative violations against Vinh Phuoc Thanh Trading and Service Co., Ltd, fined VND66 million and enforced to transport the infringing goods out of Vietnam after removing infringing element on the goods specified in point c, clause 3, Article 3 of the Government Decree 99/2013/ND -CP dated August 29, 2013.

Some photos related to the infringing shipment:

Infringing goods in the container of the transit shipment. Photo: Thu Hoa

Customs detects over 1,000 pairs of fake designer handbags and sneakers. Photo: Thu Hoa

Fake Nike sneakers. Photo: Thu Hoa

The shipment of designer handbags and sneakers imported from China and transited via Vietnam to export to Cambodia. Photo: Thu Hoa

Over 600 fake designer handbags. Photo: Thu Hoa

The goods are removed the infringing element before re-export. Photo: T.H