The Ministry of Health coordinates the Ministry of Public Security to investigate responsibility
On April 15, Dr. Tran Viet Nga - Director of the Department of Food Safety (Ministry of Health) - shared: Food safety management is prescribed in the Food Safety Law, which stipulates the responsibility of food safety management of the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), Industry and Trade and People's Committees at all levels.
For fake dairy products that have been discovered by the authorities on the principle of the announcement and registration of food products announcement prescribed in Decree 15/2018/ND-CP. Accordingly, most foods are announced by themselves, but 4 groups of products need to be more tightly controlled to register the announcement with the state agency before circulation. With the dairy products, the business is responsible for the quality and food safety of the products they publish, committed to complying with food safety regulations.
According to the provisions of Clause 8, Article 40 of Decree 15/2018/ND-CP, the provincial People's Committee is responsible for: "Organizing the reception and management of dossiers and certificates of product disclosure, certificates of advertising content for medical nutrition products, food for special diets, nutritional products for children to 36 months of age".
Decree 15/2018/ND-CP stipulates the responsibilities of ministries, branches and localities in the management of food groups, inspection, examination and handling of violations. The provincial People's Committee is responsible for state management of local food safety, handling violations according to regulations and is responsible to the Government and the law when causing violations of food safety.
The Ministry of Health, as the Standing Committee of the Inter -sectoral Steering Committee on Food Safety, closely coordinated with the Ministry of Public Security in inspecting and handling fake and banned production and trading acts.
"With the case of fake milk being clarified by the authorities, the Ministry of Health has and will continue to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security on professional issues so that the Ministry of Public Security has grounds to handle the law, clearly examine the responsibilities of relevant organizations and individuals," Nga said.
According to Article 4 of Circular 48/2015/TT-BYT amended by Clause 3, Article 5 of Circular 17/2023/TT-BYT (effective from November 9, 2023) stipulates the food safety inspection agency, responsibility and powers of the inspection agency, the inspection team includes: Department of Food Safety; Department of Health, Department of Food Safety and Hygiene, Food Safety Management Agency of People's Committees of provinces and cities directly under the Central Government; People's Committees of districts, districts, towns, cities of provinces and cities of centrally run cities; Department of Health, Health Center or specialized agency; People's Committees of communes, wards, townships, commune health stations.
"The post -inspection of these dairy products is responsible for the local People's Committee," Ms. Nga added.
Management gaps
Regarding the case of nearly 600 fake milk labels that have been discovered by the authorities, the investigating agency has initially identified from 2021 to the present, Ranch Pharma and Hacofood Company also left the accounting book to declare and pay actual revenue tax, causing more than 28 billion dong of state budget damage.
At the police office, Ho Sy Y (37 years old, Ha Tinh hometown) - shareholders of Ranche Pharma Company and Hacofood Company, and the manager of the factory - claimed that all the information and nutritional content used to produce powdered milk "were not thoroughly tested, leading to serious errors". Mr. Sy also acknowledged the mistake and apologized to customers for this incident.
Meanwhile, Dang Trung Kien (37 years old) - Shareholders and Deputy Director of Rance Pharma and Hacofood Company - said that when registering the dossier at the Sub -Department, she received instructions on testing, but only checked microbiological safety criteria. "In fact, the testing of all nutrients is almost not done," Kien said.
Up to the time of being arrested on April 11, this line produced and consumed 5 fake milk powder for subjects such as people with diabetes, kidney failure, premature babies, lack of months and pregnant women. During the past 4 years (from 2021 to present), this group has consumed to the market and earned nearly VND 500 billion.
Although the published milk ingredient includes extracts from bird's nest, cordyceps, macadamia powder, walnut powder, in fact, these substances are not in the product. To deceive consumers, this group has replaced some ingredients with other additives. Police determined that the quality of these powdered milk products has the target of some substances of less than 70% of the publication, sufficient basis to determine this is a fake.
