Cyanide, toxic sulfuric acid sold widely in Ho Chi Minh City

Currently, sulfuric acid and cyanide are sold online, even delivered to your door, sold at discounted prices, and bought in bulk for a good price...

Contacting a chemical company on To Hien Thanh Street (District 10), expressing interest in buying sulfuric acid, a consultant quoted a price of 100,000-200,000 VND/liter depending on concentration and volume. The consultant advised that if buying in large quantities, there would be a discount and free home delivery. When asking to buy cyanide, the staff informed that the order must be placed 1-2 days in advance.

Cyanide, sulfuric acid for sale on social media. Screenshot

Similarly, at store B on Ly Thuong Kiet Street (District 10), when asked to buy sulfuric acid, Ms. Phuong (the salesperson, the character's name has been changed) did not care about the purpose and only asked how much she wanted to buy. Ms. Phuong introduced that the store had concentrated acid with a maximum concentration of 38%, priced at 60,000 VND per bottle (0.5 liter).

As for cyanide, Ms. Phuong said it is not available at the store but is in the warehouse, in 50kg barrels made in the US and in 0.5 gram - 1kg boxes made in Germany. If customers buy it, they will have to wait 20-30 minutes.

It is noteworthy that buying and selling these chemicals is quite easy and buyers do not need to leave personal information, phone numbers... as prescribed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Surveying some chemical stores at Kim Bien market (District 5), many places are quite hesitant and cautious in trading cyanide, but acids are easier.

Here, the acid is stored in large cans. When customers ask to buy, the consultant will advise them that there are two types of acid: weak and strong. Weak acid costs 6,000-8,000 VND/liter, strong acid costs 20,000 VND/liter. If customers want to buy, the staff will pour it into small bottles and charge them.

According to Dr. Nguyen Pham Cao Khoa, Department of Cardiology - Geriatrics, Le Van Thinh Hospital (HCMC), cyanide is an extremely toxic substance. Only about 50-200mg of cyanide entering through the mouth or inhaling about 0.2% of the gas form is enough to kill a person.

This poison is absorbed into the blood very quickly, strongly inhibiting cellular respiration, causing the victim to feel headache, dizziness, nausea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and respiratory failure.

Source: https://laodong.vn/kinh-doanh/cyanua-axit-sulfuric-doc-hai-ban-tran-lan-o-tphcm-1364276.ldo