Animal smuggling into Vietnam becoming rampant

They included nearly 160,000 live animals, mostly cattle and fowls, 116 tons of animal products like beef and pork, and also 44,000 poultry eggs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said at a forum held to discuss prevention of animal smuggling on Tuesday.

According to the Vietnam Poultry Association, 200,000-250,000 tons of live chickens are smuggled into the country every year.

Luong Trong Quynh, vice chairman of the northern Lang Son Province, said smugglers sneak in at night over the China border with small loads, and then use motorbikes to transport the smuggled items across the country.

Phan Quang Minh, deputy head of the ministry’s Department of Animal Health, said animal products smuggled from Laos and Cambodia into Vietnam pose a risk of spreading foot-and-mouth disease and mycotic dermatitis, which can affect the domestic livestock industry and people’s health.