The case of 600 types of fake milk on the market: Who licensed the products?

Authorities dismantled a production line of nearly 600 types of fake milk powder - Photo: TTO

Who licenses fake milk?

The Ministry of Public Security's investigation police agency has prosecuted and temporarily detained Vu Manh Cuong, Hoang Manh Ha and 6 others involved in a ring that produced nearly 600 types of fake milk .

Nearly 600 types of fake milk include milk for people with diabetes, kidney failure, premature babies, and pregnant women.

Many consumers are concerned about how nearly 600 types of milk, with large-scale production, could operate for 4 years without being detected or handled by authorities. Which unit is responsible for this?

Previously, in an exchange with Tuoi Tre Online , the Ministry of Industry and Trade affirmed that the groups of fake powdered milk products are products produced by Rance Pharma Company and Hacofood Group Company and are not under the management of this ministry.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is responsible for managing the group of regular processed milk products, excluding products supplemented with micronutrients, functional foods, or pharmaceuticals with special nutritional ingredients. These products are currently managed by the Ministry of Health .

On April 15, the Department of Food Safety, Ministry of Health, had official information related to the case of producing and trading fake milk.

According to the Ministry of Health, food safety management is regulated in the Law on Food Safety, including food safety management by the ministries of Health, Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), Industry and Trade and People's Committees at all levels.

The announcement and registration of food product declarations are regulated in Decree 15/2018/ND-CP. Accordingly, most foods are self-declared and there are 4 groups that need stricter control, so the product declaration must be registered with the competent state agency before being put into circulation on the market.

According to Decree 15, the provincial People's Committee is responsible for "organizing the reception and management of records, issuing certificates of product declaration acceptance, and certificates of advertising content confirmation for medical nutritional products, foods for special diets, and nutritional products for children up to 36 months of age".

In addition, Decree 15 also clearly stipulates the responsibilities of ministries, branches and localities in managing specific food groups and responsibilities in inspection, examination and handling of violations.

It stipulates that the Provincial People's Committee shall perform state management of food safety at the local level, be responsible to the Government for food safety at the local level, organize the handling of violations of food safety laws according to regulations; be responsible to the Government and the law when violations of food safety laws occur in the locality.

The Ministry of Health is responsible for "directing", but which food safety department issues the order?

The Ministry of Health believes that as the standing member of the central interdisciplinary steering committee on food safety, the Ministry annually develops and issues a post-inspection plan for food production and trading establishments as a basis for ministries, branches and localities to develop and implement their own plans.

The Ministry also coordinates with other sectors to strictly handle acts of false advertising and consumer deception; coordinates in professional activities, providing relevant documents for the police to use as a basis for initiating criminal proceedings. Especially in cases of production and trading of fake food and food containing prohibited substances.

"Every year, the Department of Food Safety has documents directing local health departments and the Department of Food Safety of Ho Chi Minh City to carry out post-inspection of food safety in the area" - the document of the Department of Food Safety said.

Specifically, according to this department, from the beginning of 2025 to now, the department has had 3 directive documents related to post-inspection work in 2025, the implementation of the month of action for food safety associated with strengthening inspection, examination and strict handling of violations.

Thereby, it is recommended that localities review and provide information on the status of receiving self-declaration dossiers and registering product declarations; granting certificates of food safety qualified establishments; the status of inspection, examination and handling of violations of related establishments and products.

Regarding the case of large-scale production, trading and consumption of fake milk powder, operating in Hanoi and neighboring provinces, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency has initiated a case.

"The case is under investigation. The Ministry of Health has and will continue to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security on professional issues so that the Ministry of Public Security has a basis to handle the case in accordance with the law and clearly investigate the responsibilities of related organizations and individuals," the department's document said.

In addition, the department's leaders also said that the Ministry of Health has coordinated with the Ministry of Public Security and related ministries and branches to research and propose increasing sanctions for administrative violations of food safety for groups of common violations.

The Food Safety Department said that the locality is responsible for issuing product quality certification for this group of fake milk products, but has not yet said which locality. It is known that many businesses in the fake milk ecosystem are headquartered in Ha Dong district, Hanoi.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vu-600-loai-sua-gia-tren-thi-truong-ai-cap-phep-cho-san-pham-20250415104110581.htm