## Police and Health Ministries Crack Down on Fake Milk and Medicine in Vietnam
Brigadier General Hoang Anh Tuyen, Deputy Chief of Staff and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security – Photo: VGP
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At the regular monthly government press conference on May 6, 2025, Brigadier General Hoang Anh Tuyen, Deputy Chief of Staff and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security, provided an update on the progress of investigations into fake milk and medicine scams, as directed by the Prime Minister. As of April 29, law enforcement agencies have initiated legal proceedings and detained dozens of individuals in three separate cases.
The first case involves the production, trading, and sale of counterfeit milk and medicine. The Ministry of Public Security has arrested and prosecuted 15 individuals on charges of producing and trading counterfeit food products; violating accounting regulations with serious consequences; fraud; and bribery. Detailed information about this case has been published on the Ministry of Public Security’s official website.
The second case pertains to the production and sale of counterfeit medicines in Thanh Hoa province and other localities. The Thanh Hoa Provincial Police have initiated legal proceedings and arrested 14 individuals for producing and trading fake drugs. This information has also been made public on the Provincial Police’s website.
In the third case, the Ministry of Public Security has prosecuted four individuals associated with Herbitech Co., Ltd. for producing dietary supplements, using fake test results to launch their products in the market. The accused include the company’s director, Pham Vu Khiem, and three chief accountants/accounting officers: Vuong Thi Hoa, Le Thi Hong Van, and Bui Thi Thu Ha. They have been charged with violating accounting regulations, resulting in serious consequences.
The investigation revealed that this group maintained two separate sets of accounting books: one for tax declaration and another for internal purposes. This led to the concealment of over VND 121 billion in revenue, causing a tax loss of more than VND 10 billion. Additionally, law enforcement agencies have identified at least two dietary supplement products manufactured by Herbitech as counterfeit, and 115 other suspicious samples are undergoing testing.
Ministry of Health: “Producing and trading fake milk is a reprehensible act that warrants severe punishment”
Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuân strongly condemned these acts, emphasizing that they “constitute a serious breach of business ethics”, especially considering that the products directly affect the health and well-being of children and patients who require proper nutrition and medical care.
Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuân – Photo: VGP
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Currently, there are three types of food products in Vietnam: food supplements, nutritional foods, and specialized foods. While food supplements can be self-declared under Decree 15/2018, nutritional foods, especially infant formula, must be registered. The policy of self-declaration was intended to reduce administrative procedures but has been exploited by some companies to introduce substandard products into the market.
On April 23, the Ministry of Health issued Official Dispatch 832, directing local authorities to coordinate in recalling 12 fake nutritional food products in the form of milk powder and advising the public against consuming 72 milk products under investigation until the conclusion of the case by the Ministry of Public Security.
The Health Sector Tightens Management and Prepares to Propose Amendments to the Food Safety Law
According to the Ministry of Health, in 2024, the sector inspected more than 354,000 establishments, detecting violations of food safety regulations in 22,073 cases, or 6.22%. Of these, over 9,000 establishments were penalized, almost double the number from 2023, with a total fine of VND 33 billion.
Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuân stated that the Ministry has issued relevant circulars and submitted necessary decrees to the government. Currently, the management of dietary supplements involves the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in addition to the Ministry of Health. Regarding supervision, most responsibilities have been delegated to local authorities and provincial health departments, while the Ministry of Health focuses on setting criteria and standards.
“Recent incidents are attributed to both objective and subjective factors, mainly the lack of business ethics and the disregard for consumers’ health in pursuit of profits”, said Mr. Thuân. At present, the sector faces a shortage of resources for effective supervision. Therefore, going forward, the Ministry of Health will work closely with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and other relevant ministries to address this issue. Additionally, the Ministry has proposed amendments to the Pharmaceutical Law and will soon submit revisions to the Food Safety Law and related decrees to strengthen the legal framework and protect public health.
– 6:05 PM, May 6, 2025
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