On June 6, police in Binh Chanh District cordoned off a 2,000-square-metre lot along Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard after discovering five massive piles of discarded supplements. One of the heaps had been set alight and was still smouldering when authorities arrived.

Nguyen Sin, a District 7 resident, said a local scrap collector in Phong Phu Commune alerted him early in the morning upon discovering the supplements. “When I arrived at the site, I took photos and posted them on social media. About 30 minutes later, two young men on a motorbike came and attempted to burn the remaining piles, but I stopped them. They left soon after,” Sin recounted. He reported the incident to authorities, suspecting the supplements could be counterfeit or of poor quality.

On-site inspections revealed the dumped boxes were primarily dietary supplements marketed for children, pregnant women, and patients. Some packages still had anti-counterfeit seals intact.

Products found at the scene included Med USA Jollivit, advertised to enhance children’s appetite, sleep and brain development, and Vplus+ Lutein Oil, claimed to reduce cholesterol, prevent atherosclerosis and support vision. Both were labelled as manufactured by MEDIUSA Pharmaceutical JSC, located in Phu Nghia Industrial Park in Hanoi.

Among the discarded products were Med USA Jollivit, a children’s supplement (Photo by An Huy)

Truong Van Ben, 50, a local resident, said he first noticed piles of supplements dumped on the land about a month ago. Over the past week, he observed another large batch discarded at the same site.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the origin of the products and whether they pose any health risks.