Fined 5 million VND for transporting 31 pigs of unknown origin

On the afternoon of September 27, Mr. Dang Tho Thieu - Vice Chairman of Nghi Hoa Commune People's Committee, Nghi Loc District, said: On the afternoon of September 26, the Chairman of this Commune People's Committee, Mr. Dang Van Tam, signed a decision to administratively sanction Mr. Dang Trong Tham (born in 1970), residing in Hamlet 6, Dien Cat Commune, Dien Chau District, for violating regulations on quarantine of animals and animal products.

Previously, at 11:40 a.m. on September 25, the Working Group of the Steering Committee for African Swine Fever Prevention and Control in Nghi Hoa commune discovered Mr. Dang Trong Tham, the owner and driver of a truck with license plate 37C - 153.97, bringing pigs to the Quan market slaughterhouse in Nghi Hoa commune.

The illegally transported pigs were kept at the Quan market slaughterhouse, Nghi Hoa commune. Photo: Nhat Tuan

Upon inspection, the task force discovered 31 pigs on the truck bed, each weighing an estimated 80 kg. Mr. Tham claimed to have purchased the pigs from a pig farm in Thanh Huong commune, Thanh Chuong district, but was unable to present relevant documents such as: certificate of origin of the pigs; response form with negative results for African swine fever.

Nghi Hoa Commune People's Committee has made a record of the incident, temporarily detained the pigs at Quan Market slaughterhouse, and disinfected the truck carrying the pigs before Mr. Tham took the truck out of the commune. At the same time, the Commune People's Committee has invited the Nghi Loc District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station to take blood samples from all 31 pigs being detained to send for testing for African swine fever.

The Chairman of Nghi Hoa Commune People's Committee decided to administratively fine Mr. Dang Trong Tham 5 million VND. Photo: Nhat Tuan

On the afternoon of September 26, the Veterinary Department of Region III responded that the results of the 31 test samples were negative for African swine fever. Pursuant to Clause 3, Article 6 of Decree No. 90/2017/ND-CD dated July 31, 2017 of the Government on administrative sanctions for violations in the veterinary field, on the afternoon of September 26, the People's Committee of Nghi Hoa commune imposed an administrative fine of VND 5 million on Mr. Dang Trong Tham and required Mr. Tham to pay the cost of testing for African swine fever and the cost of hiring local households to take care of the above pigs during the time they were kept at the Quan market slaughterhouse.

At 1:30 p.m. on September 27, Nghi Loc District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station issued a certificate of origin for the pigs and sealed the cargo container for Mr. Tham to transport the pigs to the slaughterhouse in Dien Thinh commune, Dien Chau district for slaughter according to regulations.

Article 6, Section 3 of Decree No. 90/2017/ND-CD dated July 31, 2017 of the Government on administrative sanctions for violations in the veterinary field clearly states: "A fine of VND 5,000,000 to VND 6,000,000 shall be imposed for the act of transporting animals susceptible to declared epidemics and their products through areas with animal epidemics without permission from competent authorities where the epidemics occur."

African swine fever has reappeared in 19 households, in 7/11 hamlets of Nghi Hoa commune, since August 26. 176 pigs (total weight 9,622 kg) have been destroyed due to African swine fever. Immediately after Nghi Loc District People's Committee announced African swine fever in Nghi Hoa commune, the local government announced and widely disseminated regulations prohibiting the slaughter, trading, and transportation of pigs and pig products in and out of Nghi Hoa commune so that all people are aware.