On 19/9, Mai was prosecuted by Nghe An provincial police for violating food safety regulations, under clause 1, article 317 of the penal code.
This is the first time investigators have pursued criminal charges for selling african swine fever-infected pork during a complex outbreak of the disease.
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Mai (far left) at the time authorities inspected and seized the evidence. Photo: Police provided |
Mai (far left) at the time authorities inspected and seized the evidence. Photo: Police provided
On the morning of 5/8, Van An commune police (formerly under Nam Dan district) coordinated with interdisciplinary forces to inspect Mai's home. They discovered she was slaughtering pigs illegally and selling meat with signs of infection.
Authorities confiscated two slaughtered pigs and numerous cuts of meat that had been portioned and frozen, totaling over 380 kg. The meat had not undergone quarantine and lacked proper inspection stamps.
Mai confessed to purchasing pigs infected with african swine fever, slaughtering them, and selling the meat for profit.
Nghe An province currently has over one million pigs. As of early September, the province has recorded over 100 outbreaks of african swine fever, affecting 21,000 pigs, according to the Department of Animal Health and Husbandry.
The outbreaks have primarily occurred among small-scale farms (1-10 pigs), concentrated in communes with large pig populations, such as Dai Dong, Hoa Quan, Anh Son, and Yen Xuan.
Duc Hung
