Police in Binh Dinh Province have filed criminal charges against Pham Duy Hanh, 54, for producing and trading counterfeit food products.
According to an announcement on June 19, authorities discovered that the company, based in Quy Nhon City, had been manufacturing various products under the Chau Thanh Coffee label that showed signs of being fake. Laboratory tests revealed that the caffeine content in these products fell significantly short of the levels stated on both the packaging and the company's self-declared product specifications.
Preliminary investigations showed Hanh admitted to using only 9 to 10 per cent real coffee beans, with most of the mixture consisting of roasted soybeans. The goal was to cut production costs while deceiving consumers.
The counterfeit products were primarily distributed to sidewalk cafés and small local coffee shops across Binh Dinh Province. They were priced between VND 65,000 and 85,000 per kilogramme (approximately USD 2.50 to 3.30), targeting budget-conscious buyers.
During a search of the production facility, police seized 237 kilos of fake coffee powder, along with various tools and machines used for blending, roasting, and packaging.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Trung Hai, Head of the Economic Police Division at Binh Dinh Police, said that while the suspect's methods were not sophisticated, they were nonetheless deceptive and exploited consumer trust and lax market oversight.
Authorities are continuing to expand the investigation and are working with relevant agencies to inspect and monitor distribution points to prevent the circulation of counterfeit coffee, protect consumers, and maintain fair business practices in the province.
