Ministry of Public Security warns people about fake milk

Major General Hoang Anh Tuyen, Deputy Chief of Office of the Ministry of Public Security, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security

On April 10, 2025, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency prosecuted and arrested many subjects in the fake milk production ring at Rance Pharma International Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company and Hacofood Group Nutrition Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, seizing 84 types of powdered milk products and more than 26,000 cans of milk.

Regarding the above case, Major General Hoang Anh Tuyen, Deputy Chief of Office of the Ministry of Public Security, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security, said that up to now, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security has identified 12 food and nutritional products (powdered milk) with quality indicators of some main substances reaching less than 70% compared to the declared level, identified as counterfeit goods (fake in quality) according to the provisions of Point b, Clause 7, Article 3 of Decree No. 98/2020/ND-CP dated August 26, 2020 of the Government; continuing to investigate and clarify the remaining 72 products.

Regarding the current issue, there are many famous and prestigious people such as TV editors, actors, KOLs, doctors... participating in false advertising of many food products, Major General Hoang Anh Tuyen affirmed: The law strictly prohibits all acts of false advertising, providing incorrect or misleading information about quantity, quality, price, uses, origin, packaging and other factors of products and services.

For acts of false advertising, based on the nature and severity of the violation, violators will be subject to administrative sanctions as prescribed in Decree 38/2021/ND-CP of the Government stipulating sanctions for administrative violations in the field of culture and advertising or criminal prosecution for crimes as prescribed in the Penal Code (such as: Crime of "False advertising", prescribed in Article 197 of the Penal Code 2015, crimes of "Production and trading of counterfeit goods"..., prescribed in Articles 192, 193, 194, 195 of the Penal Code; Crime of "Fraudulent appropriation of property" prescribed in Article 174 of the Penal Code; Crime of "Abuse of trust to appropriate property", prescribed in Article 175 of the Penal Code...).

Recently, the Ministry of Public Security has directed functional units to resolutely combat and strictly handle acts of taking advantage of fame, reputation, and influence in society and on cyberspace to collude, assist, and abet in promoting and trading counterfeit goods and fake foods, contributing to a healthy production and business market.

In the coming time, professional units will focus on investigating, verifying, and comprehensively and thoroughly handling acts with signs of crime related to the advertising field to increase deterrence and prevention. At the same time, review loopholes, shortcomings, and inadequacies in the legal system on food safety, commercial business, and consumer protection to advise and recommend to competent authorities to promptly amend and supplement regulations, close loopholes, not allowing subjects to take advantage of them to commit crimes, protect consumers in a stricter and more specific direction, attaching direct responsibility to state management agencies, organizations, and individuals producing, trading, and promoting food products. In particular, propose to increase the level of stricter penalties for crimes in this field during the process of amending and supplementing the Penal Code.

The Ministry of Public Security will coordinate with state management agencies to strengthen inspection and supervision of advertising activities, censor advertising content on media; request social networking platforms to coordinate in preventing advertising content that violates the law, promptly remove false advertising; at the same time, request press and media agencies to join in promoting propaganda and education on advertising laws in the community, helping people identify false advertising and know how to protect themselves.

Because the case is under investigation, the Ministry of Public Security recommends that people do not use 12 milk products that have been identified as counterfeit and should not use 72 milk products that are under further investigation of Rance Pharma International Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company and Hacofood Nutrition Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company.

When buying foods such as milk, consumers must be alert, cautious and responsible for their own health, should not blindly trust the recommendations of famous people, influencers on the internet, need to choose reputable milk brands, specific and clear addresses, do not buy floating products, unknown origin, origin; check product packaging, manufacturer information, expiry date, batch number. When detecting cases with signs of false advertising, violations of the law on advertising or food business, it is necessary to promptly inform and reflect to the authorities for settlement according to the law.

For famous, prestigious and influential individuals in society and on the Internet, the Ministry of Public Security requires strict compliance with legal regulations when participating in advertising; being careful and responsible when implementing contracts to promote, introduce and announce products whose brands they represent; absolutely not providing false information or exaggerating the features and effects of products without basis, scientific basis and supporting documents. All violations of the law are verified, thoroughly investigated and strictly handled according to legal regulations.

Vu Phong

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/bo-cong-an-khuyen-cao-nguoi-dan-ve-sua-gia-102250423093018019.htm