Nghe An police discovered 4 facilities using stimulants to produce bean sprouts.

Previously, through the work of grasping the situation, the Police Department of Investigation of Crimes on Corruption, Economy and Smuggling discovered a number of bean sprout production facilities in the area with signs of violating regulations on food hygiene and safety. This network was operated by a number of subjects from other provinces colluding with subjects in the area to produce bean sprouts using chemicals to increase output and gain higher profits than usual.

After a period of persistently implementing synchronous professional measures, on April 11, the Department of Investigation Police on Corruption, Economic Crimes and Smuggling presided over and coordinated with the Police of the wards: Trung Do, Vinh Tan, Nghi Phu and the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development (Department of Agriculture and Environment), Department 3, the Provincial People's Procuracy simultaneously inspected 4 bean sprout production facilities in Vinh city. Thereby, successfully fighting the case, arresting 4 subjects, the owners of 4 bean sprout production facilities for violating food safety regulations.

The four suspects include: Luu Manh Huong (born in 1993), Luu Van Trung (born in 1997), both residing in Truc Hung commune, Truc Ninh district, Nam Dinh province; Tran Khac Duy (born in 1990) and Nguyen Van Huong (born in 1998), both residing in Vinh Tan ward, Vinh city, Nghe An province.

The seized exhibits included nearly 2,000 jars containing various types of bean sprouts, with a total weight of about 25 tons of bean sprouts; 25 liters of pure "candy water" chemical solution (scientific name is 6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BAP)) and 150 liters of mixed solution to serve the production of bean sprouts, along with a number of other related exhibits.

According to the authorities, the chemical 6 - Benzylaminopurine that the subjects used to water the bean sprouts during the production process is not on the list of chemicals allowed for use in food production and processing and the list of pesticides allowed for use in Vietnam.

This is a cell growth stimulant. If humans come into contact with or ingest it, it will cause many serious effects such as: acute poisoning, digestive disorders (damaging the esophagus, stomach lining and leading to nausea), respiratory effects (causing difficulty breathing, lung damage, pneumonia, worsening lung and bronchial diseases, even pulmonary fibrosis)...

During the investigation, the Investigation Agency clarified that from 2024 to the time of arrest, the subjects had produced and sold 3,500 tons of finished bean sprouts using "candy water" to soak and water the bean sprouts to make them bigger, fatter, shorter in root and more beautiful, and sell for higher profits.