Strictly control imports and trade of toxic chemicals

	Dual goals in managing chemicals and precursors
	Ho Chi Minh City: Tightening management of trading of toxic chemicals

HCM City Police seizes the violating chemicals stored in the warehouse of violators. Photo: Provided by HCM City Police

Operating under the guise of chemical import enterprises

After more than a month of implementing a plan to inspect chemical trading in HCM City, in October 2024, HCM City Police had discovered and prosecuted five cases with 17 defendants for “illegal trading and storage of toxic substances”, seized more than 9,480 kg of cyanide, 315 kg of sulfuric acid, 105 kg of hydrochloric acid and many other related exhibits; and seized more than 318.5 kg of illegally traded cyanide in 11 provinces and cities.

Notably, expanding the investigation of a suicide case using cyanide, at the end of September, Binh Chanh District Police tackled a ring illegally trading in large quantities of cyanide under the guise of chemical trading and importing companies.

Specifically, Nguyen Thanh Tai (30, in Phu My ward, District 7) colluded with Ha Van Viet (41, Tan Phong ward, District 7), Khuc Van Hieu (36, Hiep Tan ward, Tan Phu district) to establish three companies, which were granted permits for trading in “Restricted chemicals for production and trade in the industrial sector” to import and trade cyanide chemicals.

After having a source of imported cyanide under the permit, the subjects illegally sold cyanide to customers without the business license for trading cyanide chemicals; and did not create a control sheet for buying and selling toxic chemicals to increase income for the company. Through inspecting the warehouses of these companies in HCM City and Long An, the police discovered and seized 3.95 tons of cyanide.

Additionally, employees of some chemical import enterprises have made fake sales contracts with partners to smuggle cyanide. Notably, the case of Ngo Thi Nhu Hue, Head of Sales Department of Nam Phuong Chemical Company Limited, who sold 2.55 tons of cyanide to the market, illegally profiting VND378 million.

HCM City Police has comprehensively reviewed, inspected, and handled enterprises, business households, and suspects of trading in toxic and dangerous chemicals in the city. Initially, the police identified violations related to trading chemicals without invoices, documents, unknown origin, Certificate of eligibility for trading in manufactured chemicals, and conditional trading in the industrial sector. The Investigation Police Department - District 5 Police prosecuted three cases of “Illegal storage and trading of toxic substances” at Tien Phat Company Limited Branch; Diep Xi electroplating business household, Ngan Loi business household; and prosecuted 6 defendants for “Illegal storage and trading of toxic substances” stipulated in Article 311 of the Penal Code.

Inspecting chemical importers

Currently, the production, business, and trade of toxic chemicals, multi-purpose chemicals have been easily abused in production and business and become increasingly complicated. If many chemical products are strictly managed and used for the right purpose, they will pose potential risks and directly harm human life and health.

Talking to Customs News about customs procedures for imported chemicals, Mr. Vuong Tuan Nam, Head of Customs Control and Supervision Department – HCM City Customs Department said that imported chemicals are managed under the Law on Chemicals and legal guidance documents.

Accordingly, importing enterprises must register the licensed List, and the Customs will deduct each time when the enterprise imports. When carrying out customs procedures, enterprises must declare the correct name of the imported chemical. However, in reality, some importers have not declared in line with regulations, leading to being fined and applied sanctions prohibiting the import of chemicals for a certain period, depending on the violation. The use of chemicals after import is under the authority of the management agency for circulation in the domestic market.

Currently, on the social network Facebook, many groups have traded chemicals. Among them, cyanide is bought and resold in large quantities. According to the assessment of HCM City Police, the management of toxic chemical trading activities (especially cyanide) has revealed some loopholes and shortcomings; illegal trading of dangerous and toxic chemicals, especially cyanide, is carried out quite easily at chemical trading sites and on the social network.

A number of people illegally buy cyanide to serve the needs of mining, electroplating, and metal processing. The City Police have recorded many cases of murder, robbery or suicide using cyanide originating from the illegal trading.

To manage banned substances and toxic chemicals, we must tighten the supply on the market, creating scarcity, which will make it easier to control the number of users. In addition, improving production technology will help to narrow the scope of use of these chemicals.

In the immediate future, HCM City Police have advised the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee 138 to direct the city’s Customs Department, the Department of Industry and Trade, HCM City Market Surveillance Department, to coordinate with the Police to review all enterprises licensed to import and trade in dangerous and toxic chemicals to conduct inspections of law compliance.