How 3,000 tonnes of chemical-soaked snail meat slipped past Vietnamese authorities for years

A few days ago, the economic crime division under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security uncovered a shocking case of food safety violations, involving the use of industrial chemicals to process thousands of metric tons of snail meat for sale on the market.

Huynh Van Truong, a 47-year-old from Can Tho City, southern Vietnam, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with violating food safety regulations.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Ngo Thuan Lang, deputy head of the economic crime division, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the illegal operation had existed for years before being uncovered due to multiple factors.

The violator employed sophisticated and highly concealed methods, choosing locations far from residential areas to avoid foul odors and evade detection, Lang noted.

“By visual inspection alone, it was impossible to determine what kind of chemical was being used," he explained.

“Only through professional testing could authorities confirm that the substance is banned from food processing, which then provided legal grounds for prosecution."

In addition to initiating criminal proceedings and detaining Truong on charges of violating regulations on food safety, investigators are expanding the probe to determine the responsibility of chemical suppliers and traders who consumed and distributed the chemical-soaked snail meat.

Lieutenant Colonel Tran Duc Loi, deputy head of Team No. 4 of the division, said Truong had purchased snails of unknown origin from multiple provinces and transported them to a cleared land lot near Binh Dien Wholesale Market for processing.

The chemicals used were stored at a separate location to avoid raising suspicion from authorities.

After soaking the snail meat for several hours in industrial chemicals, the products were distributed to stalls at Binh Dien Wholesale Market and various traditional markets before reaching consumers’ dining tables, Loi said.

Mystery behind snail transport

Through operational surveillance, economic police officers identified an unmarked food processing facility at 60 Rach Cat Ben Luc Street in Binh Dong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City showing unusual activity, according to Lieutenant Colonel Loi.

Meanwhile, officers found many vehicles transporting apple snails arrived at Binh Dien Wholesale Market, but instead of being sold immediately, the snails were redirected to the facility for processing.

A subsequent inspection revealed that the snails were being soaked in industrial chemicals, he said.

Truong admitted purchasing sodium silicate from Kim Bien Market, notorious for selling all kinds of chemicals, at around VND6,000 (US$0.23) per kilogram.

Every 150 kilograms of snail meat was soaked in some five kilograms of sodium silicate, mixed with water.

The snails were soaked continuously for about four hours before being rinsed and sold.

Forensic analysis confirmed that all snail meat samples contained sodium silicate, an industrial chemical used in construction and cement production and strictly prohibited for use in food processing.

This substance is highly alkaline and can cause digestive tract damage, skin and eye irritation, and poses serious potential risks to consumer health.

Truong was identified as the mastermind behind the large-scale operation, which had been running since 2021.

Over that period, he organized the soaking of roughly 3,000 metric tons of snail meat using about 500 metric tons of sodium silicate to make the snails appear crisp, chewy, and glossy.

During questioning, Truong confessed to all offenses, acknowledging full awareness that the chemical was banned from use in food.

He nevertheless proceeded with the operation and cited financial hardship as justification for his actions.

Multiple cases of food safety violations uncovered

Following directives from the Ministry of Public Security and the director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security to ensure food safety during the Lunar New Year holiday, due in mid-February, the economic crime division has recently discovered multiple food safety cases.

These include chemical-soaked snail meat, fake beef made from pork, illegal wildlife meat, and noodles mixed with borax.

Authorities have also imposed administrative penalties on numerous establishments engaged in producing, processing, or trading food of unclear origin or failing to meet hygiene and safety standards.

Calls for stronger local oversight

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Lang said the case related to chemical-soaked snail meat underscores the need for closer coordination between investigative authorities and specialized agencies such as the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety and the Department of Industry and Trade.

He insisted on strengthening inspections, improving data sharing, and enhancing preventive measures against food-related violations.

Lang also stressed that food production and trading begin at the grassroots level, making the role of local authorities and community members critical in cooperating with police to detect and prevent the circulation of unsafe food.