Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance has announced seizure of nearly 20,000 face masks at a facility owned by Viet Han Company in Hanoi, which is alleged of using toilet paper instead of an antibacterial layer in their products.

Inside a facility making face masks from toilet paper in Ho Chi Minh City. Source: Market authority.

At the facility, around 8,000 face masks have been put into boxes (50 pieces each) and labeled as antibacterial face masks “Tulips”, produced at Viet Han Company, nearly 10,000 unpacked face masks, and 310 kilograms of toilet papers made in Xuong Giang Paper plant.

Moreover, the facility does not hold a license for manufacturing medical equipment and face masks.

Antibacterial face masks “Tulips". Source: Market authority.

The market surveillance authority recently checked a truck in Van Chuong street, Hanoi and found 143,000 face masks in 2,863 boxes worth VND1.04 billion (US$44,683) with no information of origin.

Chu Ngoc Tu, owner of these four-layer face masks, could not provide any receipt or invoice for these face masks and said they are being sold in the market with price of VND364,000 (US$15.64) per box, significantly higher than usual prices of VND50,000 – 60,000 (US$2.15 – 2.58).

It is determined afterwards that these face masks do not meet the standard quality and lack an antibacterial layer (not dissolved in water), which was replaced with toilet paper. 

Additionally, another 27,850 low quality face masks under the “Nice Star” brand were confiscated at Tan Phu district, Ho Chi Minh City, on February 13.

The Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance said it would step up efforts to monitor the market and issue strict measures against any case of selling low quality or faked products, as well as act of driving up prices of medical equipment unreasonably.