Authorities in Hau Giang province are launching an official investigation into slaughterhouses affiliated with C.P. Vietnam after photos allegedly showing diseased pigs - marked as being taken in Hau Giang - were shared online by a former employee.

On June 1, a representative from the Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health of Hau Giang stated that the province is currently conducting a high-priority campaign targeting smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods to safeguard food safety for consumers.

Hau Giang is home to 18 slaughterhouses, including two facilities - N.D. and D.N. - that process livestock for C.P. Vietnam. The whistleblower’s photos, which date back to 2022, appear to have been taken at the D.N. facility in Long Thanh commune, Phung Hiep district, along National Highway 1.

The department confirmed that on June 2, it would recommend the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment authorize the formation of a task force to investigate the matter thoroughly.

Previously, the Department of Agriculture and Environment in Soc Trang sent an official request to Hau Giang, urging cooperation to clarify the source of the photos, which included images allegedly taken in Hau Giang.

The whistleblower, Mr. L.Q.N., a former staff member of a C.P. Vietnam Fresh Shop in My Xuyen district, claimed he discovered issues with the company's meat quality more than three years ago. After his concerns went unaddressed, he posted several photos of suspicious pork products online - some of which were marked as being taken in Hau Giang.

On May 30, an inter-agency task force inspected the Fresh Shop in My Xuyen. While they found no evidence of diseased or expired pork or poultry, they did uncover multiple regulatory violations: the location’s food safety certificate had expired, and it lacked proper business registration documentation and food safety training certifications for its owner and staff.

Tran Tuyen