The Hanoi Police Department, on July 9, confirmed it had uncovered a sophisticated operation engaged in the illicit handling of diseased livestock. The four individuals currently in custody—Le Van Tuoi, Dang Van Huy, Nguyen Viet Chiem, and Du Dinh Hoi—are under investigation for violating food safety regulations.
The case originated from local tip-offs and surveillance carried out by the Economic Police Division. Investigators identified suspicious activities related to the slaughter and sale of contaminated pork in several locations, including Dan Nhiem Hamlet (Khanh Ha Commune, former Thuong Tin District), Du Xa and Dang Giang Hamlets (Hoa Xa Commune), and Phung Khoang Market (Dai Mo Ward).
According to police, the illegal slaughterhouses operated strictly at night—from 12:30 a.m. to 3 a.m.—in a highly secretive, closed-loop process with guards posted to monitor for law enforcement or outsiders.
To evade detection, the group used back alleys and rural paths to transport diseased pigs into Phung Khoang Market, bypassing main entrances. Once inside, the tainted meat was mixed with fresh pork at market stalls to mask its origin.
Using undercover techniques and surveillance, police gathered substantial evidence. On June 30 and July 1, the Economic Police, in coordination with Market Surveillance Team No.17, Division 3 of the Hanoi People’s Procuracy, and the city’s Livestock, Aquaculture and Animal Health Sub-Department, launched a series of raids.
Authorities inspected a slaughtering site operated by Le Van Tuoi, 31, and Nguyen Thi Thu, 27. Simultaneously, they raided market stalls operated by Du Dinh Hoi, 42, Nguyen Viet Chiem, 38, Truong Manh Kien, 46, and Nguyen Dinh Thao, 50—all based in Hoa Xa Commune or Hung Yen Province.
At the time of inspection, officials found 45 live pigs showing signs of disease, 1,050 kg of slaughtered pork carcasses, and 450 kg of internal organs, amounting to a total of 4,300 kg of illegal goods, valued at over VND318 million. An additional 977 kg of untraceable pork products were confiscated from stalls at Phung Khoang Market. None of the seized goods had quarantine certificates or documentation of origin.
Initial testimonies revealed that since 2023, the suspects had been sourcing weak or diseased pigs from brokers—including Dang Van Huy, who operated in former Ba Vi District—and slaughtering them in makeshift facilities on residential premises. They reportedly processed over 50 pigs per day, selling the meat at around VND60,000 per kilogram. Their operations were entirely unlicensed and not part of Hanoi’s approved slaughterhouse network.
By purchasing diseased pigs at bargain prices (VND35,000–40,000 per kilogram live weight) and reselling the meat at VND55,000–60,000 per kilogram, the group pocketed illicit profits of approximately VND70–80 million per month.
Preliminary laboratory results confirmed that pork and organ samples seized during the raids tested positive for African swine fever, raising serious public health concerns.
