HANOI – Qahwa World
Security officials in Vietnam have initiated a criminal probe into a production facility found manufacturing fraudulent coffee using soybeans. The investigation follows a targeted raid in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong earlier this week.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Public Security, the operation resulted in the seizure of 4.1 tons of counterfeit finished goods and 3 tons of unprocessed materials. The facility owner, Luong Viet Kiem, reportedly confessed to blending soybeans and chemical flavorings with actual coffee beans to distribute ground products throughout the domestic market.
Economic and Health Concerns
The discovery was triggered on Tuesday when police intercepted a truck transporting over 500 kilograms of undocumented ground coffee. This incident highlights a recurring issue in the region; local traders noted that while soybeans and corn are edible, the safety of these unregulated mixtures remains a significant concern for consumers.
The financial incentive for such fraud is clear. Currently, farmers in the Central Highlands sell coffee for approximately 100,500 dong ($3.86) per kg—nearly triple the cost of soybeans.
