Inspectors are checking an establishment that sells smuggled veterinary drugs and vaccines in Thuan Thanh District in Bac Ninh Province. The establishment is fined VND26 million later
Many livestock owners said that scammers boasted that veterinary drugs and vaccines can cure diseases on livestock, poultry, and aquatic species on social networks such as Zalo, Facebook or YouTube. However, breeders suffered losses as poultry and livestock died in mass, or did not recover from the disease after receiving vaccines and drug shots.
A dealer selling an antibody with the brand name Sinder said that the drug was imported from China. Moreover, she refused to say the shop address adding that the product is mainly sold via Facebook and Zalo. Customers should provide the address and phone number and she will deliver the drug after 2-3 days. Moreover, each bottle is sold at the price of VND500,000-VND550,000 and the seller revealed that this price is VND200,000-VND280,000 cheaper than domestic products a bottle.
Meanwhile, the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed that Sinder duck-billed antibodies being sold on the market are smuggled products and have not been verified for quality.
Many individuals have been selling products such as the made-in-China E.coli vaccine, a drug for the treatment of polio to treat diseases in pets on social networks and e-commerce platforms. Even a Facebook account with more than 23,500 members has the name ‘Veterinary drugs - vaccines are sold nationwide’ specializing in providing veterinary drugs, vaccines and raw antibiotics. The owner of the Facebook account announced that vaccines and drugs are imported from Thailand, India, and China.
Another Facebook account named Pham Kim Anh in the Northern Province of Bac Ninh’s Thuan Thanh District has continuously posted wholesale and retail advertisements for many vaccines originating from China since the beginning of 2022.
Previously, in August 2021, the Directorate of Market Surveillance in Bac Ninh Province had fined the facebooker VND26 million and suspended her from practicing for two months because she did not register to establish a business household and trade vaccines and veterinary medicine including Sinder duck-billed antibodies and H5N1, H9N2 vaccines which are not allowed to circulate in Vietnam.
According to livestock experts, the price of veterinary drugs and animal feed has increased recently, so many people have been trafficking veterinary drugs and vaccines of unknown origin, smuggled from abroad into Vietnam, especially vaccines against avian influenza (H5N1 and H7N9). In many localities, for a few years now, some individuals even sold fake vaccines and veterinary drugs, causing damage to livestock farmers.
Mr. Nguyen Truong Son, Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that during the inspection and direct inspection at retail stores, the inspection team of the Mekong Delta Province of Hau Giang discovered the products of Dat Viet Veterinary Medicine Company in the Northern Province of Bac Giang, LEVASOL worm medicine of SUMI-JAPAN PHARMA Herbal Technology Link Investment Company in Hanoi’s Long Bien District was identified as a fraudulent drug.
At the beginning of August 2022, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hau Giang province continued to detect another batch of fake veterinary medicine NYSTATIN of AGRIVIET Veterinary Trading Joint Stock Company.
In his document to people’s committees in localities, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien required to strengthen inspection and control at border gates, trails and openings in order to promptly detect and strictly handle cases of transportation and trade in smuggled veterinary drugs and vaccines, of unknown origin and not yet licensed for circulation in Vietnam.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also asked the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee 389 to promptly detect and strictly handle cases of transporting and trading in imported veterinary drugs and vaccines with unknown origin and unlicensed types.
Last but not least, the Ministry requested revocation of licenses, and announce the identities of infringing enterprises and products on the mass media. Furthermore, Mr. Tien proposed to transfer files of individuals and organizations that trade in contraband goods in large quantities or cause serious consequences to the investigation police agency for investigations.
