VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi Police and relevant agencies are working to curb trade of automobile and motorbike accessories with unclear origins at Gioi (Flea) Market.

Market Watch officers seize secondhand automobile accessories at a shop in Ha Noi's Flea Market. The city is working hard to curb the trade of stolen automobile accessories. — VNA/VNA Photo Tien Nguyen

The shopping centre, also known as Hoa Binh Market, is on Do Ngoc Du and Dong Nhan streets in Hai Ba Trung District. It's known for its automobile or motorbikes accessories of all kinds, including new, used, unique, modified ones and even stolen accessories.

Writer Nguyen Ngoc Tien, an expert on the city of Ha Noi, said the market was formed in 1954 when French and Vietnamese families sold used things around Thien Quang Lake before they left and moved to the south.

As the war came to an end in northern Viet Nam in 1954, Ha Noi authorities moved the market to its current location as they saw increasing demand among citizens for trade of used household appliances, vehicles and clothes, he said.

Tien said that since the late 1970s, the market has become more and more crowded, creating security problems.

The Hai Ba Trung District People's Committee in 2012 suggested the municipal People's Committee move the market to the wholesale Den Lu Market to ensure proper infrastructure, a hygienic environment and fire prevention.

Often when people have a part of their car or motorbike stolen, others will advise them to go to Gioi market to buy them back. Stolen car and motorbike accessories have been sold there for many years.

A shop owner on Do Ngoc Du Street said that more than a decade ago, her business was better because there were fewer stores.

"Now there are many more stores and various kinds of products, while Vietnamese prefer cheap ones," she said, adding that some stores offered stolen products so they could make more.

She said on condition of anonymity that shop owners usually bought stolen products from thieves at 10 to 30 per cent of market price.

Ha Noi People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung said that the city is determined to stop the trade of goods with unclear origins in Gioi Market. It was illegal to consume stolen goods and selling second-hand imported machines was frowned upon.

He asked police to step up efforts to apprehend traders of stolen goods.

Last Friday, Ha Noi Police and the market watchdog department seized more than 1,000 car accessories of unclear origins from shops on Do Ngoc Du, Le Gia Dinh and Nguyen Cong Tru streets.

Senior Lieutenant-colonel Nguyen Thanh Tin, deputy head of the Hai Ba Trung District Police, said the shop owners failed to provide legal invoices to prove the origins of the seized car accessories. The 44 businesses selling used parts signed a commitment not to buy stolen goods.

Tin said the police would conduct more unannounced inspections and crack down on violation to curb the illegal trade.

Police also advised car owners to report theft by calling 04.39396500 or 0913536473.

VNS