Horrified to discover 6 facilities using toxic chemicals to produce tens of thousands of tons of bean sprouts

Six facilities in Dak Lak province used toxic chemicals to produce thousands of tons of bean sprouts for sale on the market.

On December 26, news from the Economic Police Department, Dak Lak Provincial Police said that they had just destroyed many facilities using toxic chemicals to produce bean sprouts for sale on the market.

Subjects using toxic chemicals to produce bean sprouts

Accordingly, after a period of persistent monitoring, it was discovered that a group of people belonging to the "Southern Bean Sprouts Association" and the "Bean Sprouts Association" had signs of violating food safety regulations. In this situation, the Economic Police Department, Dak Lak Provincial Police, simultaneously inspected 6 bean sprout production facilities in Buon Ma Thuot City.

Of which, there are 2 establishments of Lam Van Dao (born in 1990, residing in Ea Tu commune), 2 establishments of Vu Duy Tu (born in 1991), 1 establishment of Nguyen Van Quynh (born in 1973) and 1 establishment of Nguyen Van Hao (born in 1988) all in Tan Hoa ward.

Through inspection, the subjects confessed that in the process of producing bean sprouts, they used lime, well water and a colorless liquid, which the group often exchanged slang with each other online as "candy" water.

Police prosecuted subjects for violating food safety regulations.

According to the Economic Police Department, Dak Lak Provincial Police, the "candy" water is actually the active ingredient 6-Benzylaminopurine, which is not on the list of permitted use in food production and the list of pesticides permitted for use in Vietnam. This is a cell growth stimulant, which, if introduced into the body, will have adverse effects on human health. Inhalation or long-term skin contact can cause low birth weight, hydrocephalus and birth defects, and ingestion of large amounts can cause death.

However, this group still regularly uses soaking and incubation to make bean sprouts, with the purpose of shortening the bean sprout roots to concentrate nutrients to develop large, plump bean sprout stems, increase weight and have a beautiful appearance.

The ratio of the subjects mixed was 400ml of "candy" water mixed with 1,000 liters of well water, enough to water about 2,000kg of finished bean sprouts. The subjects all knew that the active ingredient 6-Benzylaminopurine was banned and would be harmful to human health when introduced into the body. Therefore, after each use, the subjects hid the can containing this active ingredient 6-Benzylaminopurine in the toilet, the corner of the warehouse, in the bedroom, and the basement to avoid detection by the authorities.

During the inspection, the Economic Police Department, Dak Lak Provincial Police discovered and seized 20,357 kg of bean sprouts that the group had soaked in the active ingredient 6-Benzylaminopurine, with a selling price of about 400 million VND. In addition, the police seized 37 plastic cans with 135 liters of the above banned active ingredient. If not detected, with 135 liters of this solution, the subjects would have produced and put on the market about 675 tons of finished products with a selling price of about 18.7 billion VND.

At the police station, the subjects confessed that in 2024, this group sold about 2,900 tons of bean sprouts soaked in the chemical 6-Benzylaminopurine to the market, an average of about 8 to 10 tons per day. One production facility alone signed a contract to sell 350 - 400 kg of bean sprouts per day to a supermarket. On the packaging of these bean sprouts, the subjects pasted labels "For everyone's health", "No chemicals", "No stimulants", "No preservatives".

Currently, the Economic Police Department, Dak Lak Provincial Police has issued a decision to prosecute 4 cases, prosecute and temporarily detain 4 defendants, Lam Van Dao, Vu Duy Tu, Nguyen Van Quynh, Nguyen Van Hao, for violating food safety regulations. At the same time, the investigation is continuing to expand to handle the case comprehensively.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/hai-hung-phat-hien-6-co-so-dung-hoat-chat-doc-hai-lam-ra-hang-chuc-ngan-tan-gia-do-238022.html