Nguyễn Thị Tố Loan confesses to investigators. — Photo bocongan.gov.vn

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội police said on Friday that they had charged two women with smuggling after an investigation found their company imported hundreds of containers of frozen chicken feet from countries with active poultry diseases, then sold the product illegally across Việt Nam rather than re-exporting it as required by law.

Authorities identified the suspects as Nguyễn Thị Tố Loan, 47, who directly ran ABF Food Import-Export JSC in Ninh Bình Province, and Trang Tuyết Ngọc, 45, who served as head of the assistant department at An Bình Group.

Both have confessed to all charges, police said.

According to the investigation, between 2023 and 2026, ABF imported 339 containers of frozen chicken feet, declaring them on customs paperwork as goods brought in solely for processing and re-export.

Under legal provisions, poultry products originating in countries with active poultry diseases may only enter the country for processing and re-export and may not be sold domestically.

Instead of re-exporting the shipments, Loan directed Ngọc to distribute the chicken feet on the domestic market. Investigators say more than 10,000 metric tonnes were sold to food-service businesses across Hà Nội, Cao Bằng, Ninh Bình, Quảng Ninh and other provinces.

The total value of the imported goods was estimated at more than VNĐ347 billion(US$13 million). No import duty was paid.

During raids on cold-storage warehouses linked to the operation, police uncovered more than 2,000 metric tonnes of frozen chicken feet.

Seized chicken feet found during raids on cold-storage warehouses. — Photo bocongan.gov.vn

At the An Việt 2 freezer facility in Hà Nội's Quang Minh Industrial Zone, investigators found over 1,000 metric tonnes, including approximately 260 metric tonnes that had expired and showed signs of mold and foul odour but appeared to be staged for distribution.

A second raid at the THL cold-storage warehouse in the northern province of Lạng Sơn yielded an additional 1,030-plus metric tonnes.

Hà Nội police have formally charged both suspects with smuggling under Article 188 of the 2015 Penal Code. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to determine the roles of other individuals and organisations potentially involved in the network. — VNS