On 23/12, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Economic Police Department announced that, in coordination with traffic police and market management, they inspected a tractor-trailer driven by Nguyen Thanh Phuong, 44, residing in Van Canh commune, Gia Lai province. The vehicle was transporting over 270 boxes of lizardfish, with a total weight exceeding 7 tons.
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Over 10 tons of lizardfish were found to contain very high levels of formaldehyde for preservation. Photo: Lam Son |
Over 10 tons of lizardfish were found to contain very high levels of formaldehyde for preservation. Photo: Lam Son
During questioning by authorities, the driver stated that after transporting fruit from Tien Giang to Lang Son, he was hired by Anh Minh VN International Limited Liability Company (LLC), based in Lang Son, to transport 372 boxes of ice-packed lizardfish, weighing nearly 9,7 tons. The consignment, imported from Trung Quoc via Huu Nghi International Border Gate, was intended for delivery to traders in various provinces from Thanh Hoa to Binh Dinh, with a payment of 20 million VND.
Following the planned route, Phuong had already delivered 101 boxes of lizardfish, weighing over 2 tons, to three traders in Sam Son ward. The vehicle was intercepted and detained while continuing to deliver goods to other locations.
Inspecting the establishments that had received the goods, Sam Son ward police, in collaboration with the Market Management Team, seized an additional 181 boxes of frozen lizardfish, weighing over 3,3 tons. This included both recently delivered goods and existing inventory. The total amount of lizardfish seized in this incident exceeded 10 tons.
Lizardfish, also known as bombay duck, imported from Trung Quoc, currently sells for approximately 37,000 VND/kg wholesale and about 130,000 VND/kg on the market. This price is significantly lower than domestically sourced natural lizardfish, which costs between 250,000 and 350,000 VND/kg, depending on the season.
Samples of the lizardfish were sent for testing at the National Institute for Food Control (Ministry of Health). Results confirmed that all the fish contained formaldehyde, with concentrations ranging from 90 to 105 mg/kg.
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Authorities inspect the consignment containing prohibited food preservatives. Photo: Lam Son |
Authorities inspect the consignment containing prohibited food preservatives. Photo: Lam Son
Formaldehyde, a toxic compound, is prohibited for use in food processing and preservation. Consuming food containing formaldehyde can cause damage to the digestive tract, leading to gastric and esophageal ulcers, and posing serious health risks.
The investigation is ongoing.
Le Hoang
