According to the Domestic Market Development and Management Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, more than 47,000 illicit goods have been confiscated from a warehouse in Quang Ninh Province, believed to be part of a sophisticated smuggling network operating under the guise of cross-border e-commerce and social media sales.
The consignment originated from the Chinese online wholesale platform 1688.com and was routed through a transshipment hub in Quang Ninh, Vietnam. Since February 2025, these goods had been sold directly via multiple TikTok accounts, with total transaction values estimated at 12 million yuan.
The Market Surveillance Team No.1 under the Quang Ninh Provincial Market Surveillance Department inspected a warehouse located within the premises of Dong Tam Trading Joint Stock Company (Mong Cai Ward 3, Quang Ninh Province) on the morning of July 9. The raid uncovered 47,127 products in violation of trade regulations.
The warehouse was previously leased by Do Van Q., a resident of Mong Cai Ward 2, who passed away in June 2025, as confirmed by a death certificate issued by Van Ninh Commune People's Committee.
An inventory conducted from July 8 to 9 classified the seized goods into three primary categories, including 16,166 units of smuggled cosmetics, valued at approximately VND1.1 billion; 15,511 smuggled products, worth about VND80 million; 15,450 items of unknown origin, valued at roughly VND65 million. The total estimated value of violations exceeds VND1.2 billion.
Pham Van Cong, Q.'s brother-in-law, stated that the warehouse had been subleased by Q. to a Chinese national under a contract effective June 1, 2025. Cong emphasized that he had no involvement with the stored goods, asserting that the entire facility was operated by the Chinese lessee.
Upon examining the warehouse's software system, authorities discovered it was a Chinese logistics platform operated remotely, programmed entirely in Chinese, and unlinked to Vietnam’s domestic e-commerce infrastructure. Despite this, it was fully synchronized with hundreds of TikTok orders—most of which sourced goods directly from 1688.com. Warehouse staff were only tasked with printing pre-generated shipping labels and handing the packages over to delivery services.
Software data logs showed recorded transactions dating back to February 15, 2025, totaling approximately 12 million yuan. However, because the system used a foreign language and was not integrated with domestic digital platforms, enforcement teams have so far been unable to trace the associated TikTok accounts or determine the volume of goods sold and profits made.
The Domestic Market Development and Management Department warned that the case underscores increasingly sophisticated smuggling tactics, involving the use of e-commerce and social media as a front, along with anonymous warehouses and remote operations that fall beyond the scope of conventional regulatory oversight.
Market Surveillance forces in Quang Ninh have seized all involved goods for further investigation to identify the responsible parties.
