The Economic Police Department of Quang Ninh Provincial Police issued an emergency arrest warrant and initiated criminal proceedings for producing counterfeit food against Pham Thanh Tuan (39) and Vu Thi Dung (63, Tuan's mother) on 22/4.

Three days earlier, the Economic Police Department inspected the production facility of Tuan Hang Co., Ltd. in Quang Hanh ward, Cam Pha city, and caught Pham Thanh Tuan red-handed mixing acetic acid with tap water to produce the finished vinegar product.

According to investigators, instead of natural fermentation from rice using traditional methods, Tuan employed a formula of 6 liters of acid mixed with 200 liters of tap water. This mixture was then bottled and given eye-catching labels stating "naturally fermented rice vinegar" to deceive consumers.

The amount of vinegar made from acid and tap water discovered at the Tuan Hang Co., Ltd. production facility. *Photo: Police provided*

At the scene, authorities seized 1,794 finished plastic bottles (450ml each), equivalent to over 800 liters of fake vinegar, two plastic containers of acetic acid (30 liters each), and numerous pieces of equipment, labels, and bottling machines used for the counterfeiting operation.

Ms. Vu Thi Dung (63, Tuan's mother) was the initiator, establishing the company and directly purchasing equipment and chemicals to produce the fake vinegar starting in 2018. By 9/2025, Ms. Dung temporarily halted operations but then continued to support her son in maintaining the business and finding distribution channels to the market for illegal profits.

According to authorities, using industrial acetic acid to produce edible vinegar is extremely dangerous. If the acid concentration exceeds permissible limits, users can suffer stomach lining burns, neurological poisoning, and even cancer or death if it accumulates in the body long-term.

Le Tan