On November 26, the Dak Lak Provincial Police announced the prosecution and temporary detention of four suspects accused of violating food safety regulations.

The accused individuals include Lam Van Dao, born in 1990 and residing in Ea Tu Commune, Buon Ma Thuot City. Additionally, Vu Duy Tu (born 1991), Nguyen Van Quynh (born 1973), and Nguyen Van Hao (born 1988) were also implicated. The latter three reside in Tan Hoa Ward, Buon Ma Thuot City.

Initial investigations revealed that these individuals were part of groups called “Southern Bean Sprouts Association” and “Bean Sprouts Makers Association,” suspected of violating food safety standards.

The Economic Police Department of Dak Lak Province conducted simultaneous inspections at six bean sprout production facilities operated by the accused.

Authorities discovered that, alongside traditional ingredients like mung beans, lime, and well water, the suspects used a colorless liquid referred to as “candy water” in coded language.

This liquid was identified as 6-Benzylaminopurine, a cytokinins-based plant growth stimulant that is neither approved for food production nor listed as a permissible pesticide in Vietnam.

The chemical poses significant health risks, including developmental defects such as low birth weight, hydrocephalus, and other congenital anomalies. Inhalation or prolonged skin contact can be harmful, and ingestion in large quantities can be fatal.

The suspects used this chemical to shorten the roots of bean sprouts, allowing the plants to redirect nutrients to produce thicker, more visually appealing sprouts with increased weight.

Authorities confiscated 20,357 kilograms of bean sprouts treated with 6-Benzylaminopurine, valued at approximately 400 million VND ($16,200).

The confiscated items included 7,934 kilograms of finished bean sprouts, 12,423 kilograms of bean sprouts still in production that had already been soaked in the banned chemical, and 37 plastic cans containing 135 liters of the prohibited liquid.

Investigations revealed that the group had sold approximately 2,900 tons of chemically treated bean sprouts in 2024, with daily production ranging from 8 to 10 tons.

Hai Duong