An arrest warrant is issued for Phan Van Phong (R, 1st) for allegedly storing nearly 40 metric tons of pork infected with African swine fever. Photo: Supplied
The provincial Department of Public Security announced on Tuesday evening that the investigation police agency had officially launched criminal proceedings against 60-year-old Phan Van Phong, a resident of Vinh Hung Commune, for violating food safety regulations.
The arrest followed an inspection into Phong’s slaughterhouse in the commune.
Officers discovered multiple pork products, including meat and pig skin showing signs of discoloration and inflammation.
The tainted products were stored across five cold storage units, with a total weight of 37,484 kilograms.
Laboratory tests conducted by the Phu Tho Sub-Department of Livestock Production, Animal Health, and Fisheries confirmed that all collected samples tested positive for African swine fever.
During questioning, Phong and his accomplices admitted that since April 2025, they had been exploiting the outbreak of African swine fever by acquiring pigs that had died or were infected.
Dozens of metric tons of contaminated pork discovered at a slaughterhouse in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Supplied
These animals were sourced from households in and around Vinh Hung Commune, often at extremely low prices or even for free.
He then slaughtered the diseased pigs and stored the meat in industrial freezers, planning to distribute it to the market to gain illicit profits.
