(Vietnam Insider) Hanoi, May 13 – In a dramatic escalation of a high-profile investigation, Nguyen Thanh Phong, former Director General of Vietnam’s Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health, has been arrested and charged with bribery, alongside four other officials. The arrests are part of an ongoing probe into a massive case involving the production and distribution of hundreds of tons of counterfeit dietary supplements.
According to the Ministry of Public Security’s Economic and Corruption Crime Investigation Police Department (C03), the former food safety chief and his colleagues are accused of accepting bribes to facilitate approvals and certifications for factories involved in the illegal operation.
The other four officials facing charges include Dinh Quang Minh, Director of the Food Safety Training and Application Center; Nguyen Thi Minh Hai, Deputy Director of the same center; Le Thi Hien, Senior Specialist and Cao Van Trung, Deputy Head of the Food Poisoning Surveillance Division.
While Ms. Hai has been placed under house arrest, the remaining four individuals have been detained pending investigation.
A Systemic Breakdown in Food Safety Oversight
Investigators revealed that the officials intentionally reduced violations found during inspections, advised companies on how to manipulate compliance, and delayed enforcement actions in exchange for illicit payments.
These actions enabled Nguyen Nang Manh, Chairman of MEDIUSA and Director of MegaPhaco, to obtain over 20 product registration certificates and four food safety certifications for factories producing fake supplements. The companies targeted vulnerable consumers, including elderly people and children, using low-quality, unapproved ingredients—some sourced from China and falsely labeled as being from the U.S. or Europe.
Authorities say many of these counterfeit products contained less than 30% of the claimed active ingredients, posing serious public health risks.
100 Tons of Fake Products Seized
The scandal came to light after an extensive investigation into multiple companies operated by Manh and his associates, including MediPhar and Viet Duc. When police raided the production facilities, they seized nearly 100 tons of fake dietary supplements.
The criminal network also ran dual accounting systems to evade taxes and hide profits. At least six companies were involved in the financial fraud, leading to major losses in state tax revenues, officials said.
As the investigation intensified, the suspects attempted to destroy evidence and shut down operations, but law enforcement successfully intercepted large volumes of counterfeit goods.
A Major Blow to Public Trust
Nguyen Thanh Phong served as Director General of the Food Safety Authority for two consecutive terms from 2015 to late 2024, during which he oversaw the enforcement of food safety regulations nationwide. His arrest sends shockwaves through Vietnam’s public health sector and raises serious questions about regulatory integrity and oversight failures.
The Ministry of Public Security emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and may expand to other individuals or entities involved in the scheme. The case marks one of the largest food safety corruption scandals in Vietnam’s recent history.
Vietnam Insider will continue to provide updates as more details emerge in this unfolding investigation.
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Source: Vietnam Insider