TIÊU ĐIỂM: Khi lợn bệnh phù phép thành lợn sạch | VTV24

Key Concepts

• African Swine Fever (ASF): A highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting pigs, necessitating the destruction of infected animals.
• Centralized Slaughterhouse: A regulated facility intended to ensure food safety through official inspection and quarantine.
• Quarantine Certificate: An official document certifying that livestock is free from infectious diseases; in this case, these were forged or issued fraudulently.
• Slaughter Control Stamp: An official mark applied by veterinary officers to meat deemed safe for human consumption.
• Supply Chain Collusion: An organized network involving pig traders, slaughterhouse operators, and corrupt officials who facilitate the "legalization" of diseased meat.

1. The Criminal Scheme: "Magical Transformation" of Diseased Pigs

The investigation by Team 7 of the Hanoi Economic Police uncovered a sophisticated ring operating at the Van Phuc centralized slaughterhouse. The scheme involved:

• Sourcing: Traders collected sick or dead pigs from various provinces (e.g., Phu Tho). These pigs were often underweight (70–80 kg) compared to the standard 120 kg, a common indicator of disease.
• Legalization: Through collusion with quarantine officers, diseased shipments were issued fraudulent certificates. Officers in Phu Tho allegedly signed off on shipments without conducting inspections or tests.
• Slaughter and Stamping: Once at the Van Phuc facility, the pigs were slaughtered. Corrupt veterinary officials provided official "slaughter control" stamps for a bribe, effectively rebranding diseased pork as "clean."
• Scale: From early 2025 to the time of the raid, approximately 3,600 pigs (300 tons) of diseased pork were funneled into the market.

2. Financial Motivations and Corruption

• Profit Margins: Diseased pigs are purchased at a significant discount. By selling this meat at lower prices, distributors like Cuong Phat Food Co., Ltd. could move inventory quickly, prioritizing volume and profit over safety.
• Systemic Bribery: The investigation revealed that "thank-you gifts" (bribes) ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 VND were paid by drivers to slaughterhouse staff to bypass inspections.
• Illegal Revenue: Approximately 2 billion VND was collected illegally from traders and kiosk owners, which was then distributed among the corrupt staff members.

3. The Supply Chain and Institutional Failures

• The Role of Intermediaries: Cuong Phat Food Co., Ltd. acted as a major distributor, supplying pork to school kitchens. Despite holding a food safety compliance certificate, the company knowingly purchased diseased meat to maintain competitive pricing.
• School and Catering Oversight: Many catering companies and schools claimed to be "victims," citing a reliance on official documents and quarantine stamps. However, the investigation highlighted a lack of specialized testing equipment and a failure to act on sensory warnings (e.g., foul odors reported by kitchen staff).
• Regulatory Negligence: The Center for Diagnostic Testing and Slaughter Control, under the Hanoi Department of Animal Husbandry, failed to prevent the entry of infected animals, despite the slaughterhouse being a managed, licensed facility.

4. Notable Statements and Perspectives

• The "Victim" Narrative: Many involved parties—from the slaughterhouse workers to the food suppliers—claimed they were "victims" of the system. The report notes the irony: "If everyone is a victim, who will be held responsible when meals potentially containing diseased pork are already reaching the dinner tables of young children?"
• The Reality of Detection: Experts noted that while sensory checks (smell, touch, color) are standard, they are often insufficient to detect pathogens like the African Swine Fever virus, which requires laboratory testing.
• Official Stance: Authorities emphasized that this is not a minor violation but a severe crime. The Hanoi City Police have prosecuted eight defendants, who face potential prison sentences of 10 to 20 years.

5. Synthesis and Conclusion

The Van Phuc slaughterhouse case exposes a dangerous breakdown in food safety governance. The "vicious cycle" described involves farmers selling sick livestock to avoid total loss, traders smuggling them into the city, and corrupt officials providing the legal cover necessary to infiltrate the food supply—including school meals.

Main Takeaways:

• Systemic Corruption: The fraud was not an isolated incident but a closed network involving forgery, bribery, and the systematic bypassing of veterinary protocols.
• Inadequate Oversight: Reliance on paper certificates and stamps is insufficient when the issuing authorities are compromised.
• Public Health Risk: The continued presence of African Swine Fever virus in the soil and water of the slaughterhouse weeks after the raid underscores the long-term environmental and health risks posed by these illegal operations.
• Accountability: The case serves as a warning that "willful blindness" by food suppliers and distributors will be treated as criminal negligence, especially when public health and children are endangered.