Police in Ho Chi Minh City stop two trucks carrying over 200 pigs positive for salbutamol

Traffic police in Ho Chi Minh City intercepted two trucks transporting 201 pigs that tested positive for the banned substance Salbutamol while en route to slaughterhouses, authorities said on July 28.

The Rach Chiec Traffic Police Team under the HCMC Traffic Police Division, in coordination with the Thu Duc Animal Quarantine Station, processed two trucks transporting 201 pigs that tested positive for the banned substance Salbutamol while being transported into HCMC for slaughter on July 28.

The violations were uncovered on July 26 during a joint inspection of vehicles transporting livestock and food products along National Highway 1. The Rach Chiec Traffic Police Team and an inter-agency task force inspected 15 trucks carrying livestock, poultry, and frozen food passing through the area.

Authorities found one truck driven by V.N.H., 40, from Lam Dong Province, transporting 86 pigs, and another driven by T.K.B., 42, from Vinh Long Province, carrying 115 pigs. Both vehicles were traveling from Dong Nai Province to Dong Hoa Ward in HCMC to deliver the pigs for slaughter.

The drivers presented animal quarantine certificates issued by the Dong Nai authorities on July 26, along with documents verifying the livestock's origin.

However, rapid tests conducted by veterinary officers found that all 201 pigs tested positive for Salbutamol.

The inspection team documented the violations, escorted the trucks to a specialized testing facility for further examination and verification, and transferred the case to the Thu Duc Animal Quarantine Center for handling in accordance with regulations.

According to authorities, Salbutamol is a pharmaceutical ingredient used to treat asthma and other respiratory conditions but is prohibited in livestock production because it promotes lean muscle growth and reduces fat in animals.

Residues of Salbutamol in food may pose health risks to consumers, including rapid heartbeat, muscle tremors, elevated blood pressure, and adverse cardiovascular effects.

Under Vietnamese law, the use of Salbutamol as a growth-promoting agent in livestock is strictly prohibited and subject to legal penalties.