Over 50 tons of pork sold as premium Australian meat in Vietnam, police say

The Ho Chi Minh City Police Department’s Economic Crime Division placed Nguyen Van Phong under temporary detention on Jan. 16 along with seven others for producing and trading counterfeit food products.

Those arrested include Tran Thi Van Phuoc, director of Khanh Ngoc SG Production and Trading company, and Nguyen Phi Long, director of Dai Loc Phat Food company.

Police said the fake meat products were distributed to restaurants and eateries in Ho Chi Minh City and several neighboring provinces, raising concerns that consumers may have unknowingly eaten the counterfeit food.

The arrests came as city police launched a heightened crime crackdown ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year, which peaks in mid-February.

According to investigators, the ring had been operating since late 2024, using pork as the main raw material and processing it through multiple stages to make it resemble high-value meats typically sold at much higher prices. The fake products were marketed as ostrich meat, goat, Australian goat leg, sliced porcupine meat and venison.

After opening a special investigation, police carried out coordinated raids on production sites, cold storage facilities, warehouses and restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City as well as Lam Dong, Dong Nai and Dak Lak provinces. Authorities seized large quantities of suspected counterfeit food and identified Phong, Phuoc and Long as the key figures behind the operation.

Investigators estimate that more than 50 tons of fake meat had already been sold. If calculated at the market price of genuine products, the total value would be around VND10 billion (US$380,600), police said, adding that the suspects earned illicit profits of several billion dong.

Authorities warned that the operation posed serious risks to consumer health, damaged public trust and undermined legitimate businesses in the food sector.

Ho Chi Minh City police urged consumers to be cautious when eating out and to prioritize food products with clear origins and traceability. Businesses were advised to register trademarks, apply product authentication technologies and avoid trading in goods of unclear origin.

Police said they are expanding the investigation to trace remaining suppliers and distribution points and to dismantle the network fully.