An unsafe meat-processing area at an illegal slaughter site in HCM City. — Photo courtesy of the HCM City Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health

HCM CITY — HCM City authorities have seized and destroyed more than eight tonnes of pork, poultry and other animal products lacking quarantine certificates in a large-scale crackdown that has exposed repeated food safety violations at the city’s gateways over recent weeks.

Officials on Sunday said inspection teams have been uncovering illegal shipments of meat and live animals almost every week, raising concerns over disease transmission and unsafe food entering the country’s largest consumer market.

According to the city’s Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, inter-agency forces have carried out 25 inspections since March along national highways and border routes leading into HCM City, detecting 18 violations linked to the transport of animals without quarantine documents, products of unknown origin and illegal slaughtering operations.

Authorities said the destroyed goods included pork, chicken, dogs, cats, dog meat and animal offal that failed to meet veterinary hygiene standards.

The latest inspections on May 14-15 alone uncovered nearly seven tonnes of unquarantined pork, poultry and chicken intestines being transported into the city for sale.

In Trừ Văn Thố Commune, inspectors intercepted four shipments carrying more than 1,860 chickens and ducks weighing around 5.5 tonnes in total. None of the shipments had quarantine certificates or traceability documents, authorities said.

Meanwhile, traffic checkpoints on National Highway 1 and Nguyễn Văn Linh Boulevard uncovered two trucks carrying nearly 190kg of chicken intestines and almost 500kg of pork from neighbouring provinces without veterinary paperwork or proof of origin.

In another raid early on May 15, inspectors discovered an illegal pig slaughter site operating along the Rõng Tùng Canal in Thới An Ward. Four pigs weighing roughly 500kg were reportedly being slaughtered without operating permits or quarantine certification.

Officials said the makeshift slaughter area lacked basic veterinary sanitation conditions and posed serious risks to food safety and disease control.

All confiscated products were destroyed in line with regulations.

Trần Phú Cường, head of the city’s Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, said authorities were increasingly concerned about the scale and frequency of violations.

“Large shipments transported without quarantine documentation pose risks of spreading disease and threaten consumer health and food safety,” he said.

The official said inspection teams would continue to intensify surprise checks at key gateways, border areas and nighttime transport routes to stop unsafe animal products from entering the market. — VNS