Fake cookies target Tet in La Phu Commune Popular cookie brands, including imports, are being counterfeited at La Phu Village, La Phu Commune in Hanoi's Hoai Duc District to take advantage of high demand for the upcoming Tet festivities, though local authorities have yet to act in any concerted manner. Making packages for 'import cookies' Tan Hoang Gia Company is promoting cookies in packaging similar to several well-known brands, but using slightly different names to dupe buyers. The Danish butter cookies, Danisa, is being faked and sold as "Damisa", while the King Henry cookies from Poland are being faked as "Henry". The phoney cookies are also being sold at significantly lower prices. A box of Danisa normally costs about VND107,000 (USD5) but Tan Hoang Gia is selling 16 boxes of Damisa at VND218,000. "If you buy a whole 1.25-tonne truck, it's only VND10,000 per box," said a representative of Tan Hoang Gia Company. Even some well known Vietnamese brands are being faked. The cheap Chinese cookies are imported and repacked with false names, labels and expiration dates. At Hoang Hiep Factory, tools to make cookies and package labelling were found, with he edible contents left opened to mosquitoes and bugs. Some equipment appeared not to have been cleaned for some time. Cookie making machines Employees at Khoi Nguyen Phu Factory do not wear masks or gloves when making cookies. "At this time of the year, the machines run through the night. We can't make enough to export to other provinces," said an employee. Since such famous brands can be easily detected in big cities, most of the cookies are being sold in rural and mountainous provinces such as Lai Chau, Son La and Dien Bien. Traders say that while they are making big profit, consumers are also getting access to cheaper products. Local authorities maintain everything is in order. In January 2014, police arrested Nguyen Van Ban and seized 1,136 boxes of fake jams for Tet. Du Quoc Bao, vice chairman of La Phu People's Committee said all production facilities have licenses and met hygiene standards. "About whether they fake famous brands of cookies and beverages or not ... we don't have authority to deal with this issue," he said.      Laodong