Vietnam’s Halong Canfoco halts production after CEO arrested in diseased pork probe

The management board of Halong Canfoco, fully known as Ha Long Canned Food JSC, has approved a short-term suspension of manufacturing operations at the Ha Long Canned Food Factory in the northern port city of Hai Phong, according to a board resolution issued last Saturday.

The suspension is expected to last no more than 14 days, starting from Monday.

The company’s board chairman Nguyen Anh Tuan said in the resolution that any extension or adjustment to the suspension period will be subject to actual developments and must be reported to the management board for further consideration and decision.

During the production halt, the board assigned Cao Nhat Huy, deputy production director, to coordinate with the company’s human resources department to proactively develop and implement a plan for workforce arrangement and management.

Huy is also required to submit regular and timely reports to the management board on labor and personnel matters throughout the suspension period.

As per another resolution issued the same day, the management board agreed to appoint Huy to temporarily take charge of operations at the Hai Phong factory.

Huy is authorized to manage daily factory operations within the necessary scope to ensure stability and compliance with legal requirements and internal regulations.

The term of temporary management will remain in effect until the management board issues a subsequent decision.

For matters exceeding ordinary operational authority or having significant financial, personnel or legal implications, Huy must seek approval from the management board before taking action.

The move follows the emergency arrest last Saturday by Hai Phong police of Truong Sy Toan,  CEO at Halong Canfoco.

The arrest is part of an investigation into the alleged collection and storage of large quantities of diseased pork at the company’s cold storage facilities.

Authorities also detained three other company employees who were identified as having roles in inspecting and assessing pork quality before it was accepted into storage and introduced into the production process.

Investigators said they had uncovered a network involved in purchasing pork infected with African swine fever and disguising it as clean raw material for canned food production.

More than 130 metric tons of diseased pork was allegedly collected and stored at Halong Canfoco warehouses, including about two metric tons that had already been processed into canned meat.

Founded in 1957 in Hai Phong under its original name ‘Halong Canned Food Factory,’ Halong Canfoco was once a pioneer and leading enterprise in Vietnam’s processed food industry.

According to information published on its website, after nearly 70 years of operation, the company has developed an ecosystem consisting of three factories and three offices supporting its manufacturing and business activities.