Regarding the case of nearly 3,000 tons of bean sprouts being distributed to the market, on December 29, a leader of the Market Management Department of Dak Lak province said that their unit mainly inspects administrative procedures such as business licenses, business conditions, and tax obligations to the state, among others.

Specifically, the department checks for documents such as business registration, business conditions, and tax compliance.

According to this leader, the Market Management Department does not inspect product quality, as this responsibility falls under the Department of Agricultural and Forestry Product Quality Management, under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dak Lak province.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agricultural and Forestry Product Quality Management shared that out of the six bean sprout production facilities that were raided by the police, only the facility owned by Lam Dao had obtained a certificate of food safety and hygiene conditions for production and business operations.

However, this certificate was only issued and managed for the preprocessing, packaging, and trading of mung beans. The use of chemicals during the production process, specifically in the cultivation stage, is not covered by this certification.

The Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection (under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dak Lak province) also stated that they do not manage this aspect of the production process.

Currently, the Dak Lak Provincial Police are expanding their investigation into the case of nearly 3,000 tons of bean sprouts soaked in 6-Benzylaminopurine, commonly known as “candy water,” which were distributed to the market in 2024.

Bean sprouts soaked in chemicals

Previously, the Economic Police of the Dak Lak Provincial Police inspected six bean sprout production facilities in Buon Ma Thuot City, including two facilities owned by Lam Van Dao in Buon Ko Tam, Ea Tu Ward; two facilities owned by Vu Duy Tu, one facility owned by Nguyen Van Quynh, and one facility owned by Nguyen Van Hao, all residing in Tan Hoa Ward.

At these facilities, the police discovered the use of 6-Benzylaminopurine, also known as “candy water,” a substance banned from use in food products. Consuming large amounts of this substance can be fatal.

During the inspection, the police seized over 20 tons of bean sprouts that had been soaked in the banned substance and 135 liters of “candy water.”

The investigation revealed that in 2024, these six facilities distributed approximately 2,900 tons of bean sprouts soaked in chemicals to the market.

Lam Dao’s bean sprouts sold at Bach Hoa Xanh

These individuals often sold their products wholesale to agents at the Tan Hoa wholesale market in Buon Ma Thuot City.

The Economic Police of the Dak Lak Provincial Police have decided to prosecute four cases and arrest and detain four facility owners for violating regulations on food safety, as prescribed in Article 317 of the Penal Code.