Ho Chi Minh City: Tightening management of trading of toxic chemicals

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Toxic chemicals (cyanide) are still widely traded. Photo: TH

Discovering violations

According to Ho Chi Minh City Police, many tragic cases have occurred when criminals used toxic chemicals to poison victims, rob property or resolve conflicts in daily life, parking public outrage. These brutal cases show that the management and trading of cyanide still has many "loopholes", making it easy to exchange and trade on social networking sites as well as in the market.

Facing above situation, Ho Chi Minh City Police have proactively implemented a Plan to strengthen the prevention, management, and fight against violations of the law related to the trading of dangerous and toxic chemicals in the city.

In particular, focusing on reviewing, listing, and inspecting locations suspected of trading in dangerous and toxic chemicals; disseminating and educating the law to businesses and people.

On October 2, the Economic Police Division (PC03), Ho Chi Minh City Police, District 5 Police, Department of Industry and Trade, and Ho Chi Minh City Market Surveillance Department simultaneously inspected many chemical-related businesses in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City. The authorities discovered many violations and seized a large amount of chemicals suspected of being cyanide.

Through inspections of six chemical-related businesses, three had some violations in chemical production and trading. The authorities seized 125 bottles and jars containing liquid chemicals and 1 box of about 10 kg of industrial chemicals in tablet form. All were suspected of being cyanide.

Specifically, inspecting P. Joint Stock Company (Nghia Thuc Street, District 5), the Working Group discovered that this company had illegally decanted chemicals suspected of being cyanide-based toxic chemicals. Checking the company's license showed that the company did not have the function of producing and trading chemicals at the above address; was unable to provide invoices or documents on the origin of the above chemicals.

The inspection team made a record of temporarily seizing 33 bottles/jars containing chemicals suspected of being cyanide-based toxic chemicals.

Through checking records and documents, the inspection team determined that the chemical supplier for P. Joint Stock Company was M. Company (Go Vap District). An emergency search warrant was carried out at the company's headquarters, but the company had ceased operations at the above address.

Similarly, when checking at business household T. (on Nhieu Tam Street, District 5), the working group discovered that there was illegal trading in industrial chemicals, including many chemicals suspected of being cyanide-based toxic chemicals contained inside 84 prepared plastic jars, weighing about 42kg.

All goods had no invoices or documents, and their origin was unknown. The business owner admitted to purchasing the above chemicals from Company M., issued a VAT invoice but did not provide a Chemical Safety Certificate.

The working group sealed and temporarily detained the chemicals related to cyanide.

Checking the business household of Ngan L., (on Nghia Thuc Street, District 5), the working group discovered that this facility was illegally trading in industrial chemicals, including many chemicals suspected of being cyanide-based toxic chemicals.

The working group temporarily detained a box of industrial chemicals in tablet form suspected of being cyanide, weighing about 10kg.

Tighten management

The loose management of toxic chemicals by some businesses can have serious consequences if chemicals are smuggled into the market. In September 2024, Ho Chi Minh City Police discovered and arrested Ngo Thi Nhu Hue (born in 1985; residing in Hiep Thanh Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City), Head of Sales Department of Nam Phuong Chemical Company Limited. According to the investigation results, taking advantage of her position and the loose management of the business activities of toxic and dangerous chemicals by the business owner, Ngo Thi Nhu Hue created fake contracts to buy and sell cyanide of Nam Phuong Chemical Company Limited with partners to smuggle them out and resell them to others in many provinces and cities to enjoy profit.

The police agency determined that from 2019 to September 2024, Ngo Thi Nhu Hue sold 2.55 tons of cyanide, valued at over VND373 million to 11 customers. In particular, the police caught Nguyen Duc Thanh Huy (born in 1989; residing in Cat Chanh commune, Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh province) using the social network Facebook to advertise and sell cyanide. When there are customers who need to buy, Huy packages and delivers them to customers through the cash on delivery service.

From March 2023 to the time of his arrest, Nguyen Duc Thanh Huy sold more than 100kg of cyanide to hundreds of customers in many provinces and cities across the country without caring whether the buyers had a business license or were qualified to use this toxic chemical.

Most people buy and use cyanide due to lack of knowledge of the law and mainly use it for plating, paint, dyeing, rat poison, etc. Notably, there were 16 cases in Ho Chi Minh City and some neighboring provinces buying cyanide for the purpose of committing suicide; In which, 2 lucky cases were taken to the hospital by their families in time for emergency treatment, the remaining 14 cases gave up the intention of committing suicide and destroyed the purchased cyanide.

According to the records of the authorities, after several rounds of inspections, many traders in cyanide on social networks have deleted their accounts and are no longer openly trading in toxic chemicals.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City authorities are continuing to raid those trading in toxic chemicals on the market, ensuring safety for the people.