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Police in Hanoi planned to destroy more than 2,000 fake luxury items at a publicity stunt last Friday aimed at raising public awareness against counterfeiting.
But before they could reach the highlight of the publicity event, the crowd of invited guests, reporters and officials had started scrambling to get their hands on the counterfeit items, including fake designer Hermes and Gucci handbags, watches and other accessories.
The whole incident was caught on camera, and shows people at the event, including many reporters and officials, trying to squeeze through the crowd to snatch up fake luxury goods.
"The host didn’t even have a chance to finish the opening statement, let alone destroy the counterfeit items," said a reporter present at the event. "People, including government officials and invited guests, were rummaging through the pile of counterfeit goods until they found the handbags or wallets they wanted.”
The clip has quickly gone viral, and Tran Minh Dung, a senior inspector from the Ministry of Science and Technology, was forced to confirm the chaos in an interview with the Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper.
“Some reporters and some other unidentified individuals scrambled for the counterfeits,” Dung was quoted by the paper as saying.
He blamed the chaos on a lack of security guards.
The Ministry of Science and Technology, which is assigned to work with the police to crack down on the illegal trade, has issued an official statement asking for the counterfeit goods to be returned by Tuesday noon at the latest.
The ministry added that those involved will be severely punished.
Hanoi police had planned to destroy more than 2,000 counterfeit designer goods, including Dior, Hermes and Louis Vuitton handbags, Rolex watches and other accessories at the publicity stunt.
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