Vietnam prosecutes six over 250-tonne diseased pig supply chain
Police in Quang Tri have prosecuted six people over an alleged interprovincial operation that traded, transported and slaughtered more than 250 tonnes of pigs infected with African swine fever. Investigators say the animals were sourced cheaply in northern provinces, processed in Quang Tri and released onto the market.
Six suspects face food-safety charges
Police in Vietnam’s Quang Tri province have dismantled an alleged interprovincial operation that bought, transported, slaughtered and marketed more than 250 tonnes of pigs infected with African swine fever. Six suspects have been prosecuted for violating food-safety regulations under Article 317 of Vietnam’s Penal Code, Dân Việt reported, citing the provincial police.
Investigators identified Mai Văn Quang, born in 1973 and resident in Thanh Hoa province, as the alleged organizer. The other defendants are Hà Văn Nghĩa, who was reportedly hired to escort shipments; slaughterhouse owners Trần Thị Ngọc Hiền and Hoàng Thị Mộng Truyền; and hired drivers Trương Văn Quốc and Trần Ngọc Bắc.
Quang, Hiền and Truyền have been placed in temporary detention. The other three defendants have been prohibited from leaving their places of residence while investigators continue to expand the case.
Nearly 10 tonnes intercepted in May
The economic police began investigating after detecting indications of large-scale, cross-provincial trading in pigs suspected of carrying African swine fever. On May 19, economic police worked with traffic officers, local police and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station No. 7 to intercept a shipment near the former Dong Ha city cemetery and Quán Ngang Industrial Park.
Officers found the suspects transferring pigs from a specialized vehicle to smaller trucks. According to Dân Việt, the group could not produce invoices, supporting documents or an animal quarantine certificate.
The inspected vehicle carried 172 pigs weighing a combined 9,968 kilograms, or almost 10 tonnes. Two pigs were already dead. Tests conducted by the Central Veterinary Diagnosis and Testing Center II found that 18 animals were positive for African swine fever.
Pigs sourced from northern provinces
The expanded investigation found that the group allegedly operated from February through May 2026. Police said it bought diseased pigs in northern provinces including Bac Giang, Hung Yen and Thai Binh, then transported them to Quang Tri for slaughter at the Tây Trì facility before the meat was distributed to the market.
The suspects primarily targeted low-priced animals showing possible signs of disease, including skin hemorrhaging, red eyes and emaciation. Authorities allege that the pigs were slaughtered and sold for illicit profit. The total volume of infected pigs bought, transported and marketed during the period exceeded 250 tonnes.
Enforcement implications for the pork market
The case exposes a serious control failure between farm procurement, live-animal transport, slaughter and retail distribution. Missing invoices and quarantine documentation also make it harder for authorities and commercial buyers to trace where potentially contaminated pork entered the supply chain.
For legitimate pig farmers, processors and meat traders, the alleged use of cheap diseased livestock creates both a food-safety threat and unfair price competition. The confirmed presence of African swine fever in 18 of the intercepted animals also underlines the biosecurity risk posed by moving suspect pigs across provincial boundaries and handling them at slaughter facilities.
The investigation remains open, and the authorities have not disclosed the destinations, buyers or value of the pork allegedly sold. Police are continuing to determine the full scope of the operation and whether further participants were involved.
