The raid, led by the city’s Economic Police Department, was carried out at an unmarked facility located at 60 Rach Cat Ben Luc Street, Binh Dong Ward.

At the scene, officers caught workers soaking over three tons of apple snail meat in tanks filled with a clear chemical solution. Further inspection revealed 1,575 kilograms of sodium silicate - commonly referred to as “liquid glass” - stockpiled on site for continued use.

Sodium silicate is typically used in construction and industrial manufacturing, including brick and cement production. It is strictly prohibited in food processing due to its high alkalinity, which can cause severe digestive damage, as well as skin and eye irritation.

Lab tests conducted by the Institute of Forensic Science in HCMC confirmed that all snail samples from the facility were contaminated with the chemical.

Huynh Van Truong, born in 1979 in Can Tho, has been identified as the ringleader of the operation. At the police station, he admitted to running the illegal processing line since 2021.

According to his confession, approximately 500 tons of sodium silicate were used over the past five years to treat more than 3,000 tons of snail meat. The chemical was used to enhance the appearance of freshness, plumpness, and weight of the snails before distribution to the market.

Authorities say the tainted products have circulated widely in Vietnam’s food supply for years, allowing Truong to make billions of dong in illicit profits.

The Ho Chi Minh City Police Department has officially launched criminal proceedings, charging Truong with “violating food safety regulations” under Vietnamese law. He has been placed in temporary detention pending further investigation.

Officials are now expanding the probe to identify suppliers of the illegal chemicals and downstream buyers who knowingly distributed or used the contaminated snail meat.

Dam De