Vietnamese coast guard seize frozen cattle products from Chinese vessels

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s Coast Guard Command No1 on Sunday seized nearly 500 tonnes of frozen cattle products from seven Chinese vessels operating off the coast of the northern province of Quảng Ninh.

The captains presented licenses showing the products were frozen buffalo meat.

However, an examination found internal organs, suspected chicken legs, cow intestines and stomachs packed in cartons bearing Chinese characters.

The 15 crew members on the seven vessels have been temporarily detained.

The captains declared that they had intended to go to China, but had received a message from their boss to dock at Trần Island and await further instructions.

Việt Nam’s Coast Guard is trying to contact the Chinese Coast Guard via a hotline set up between the two sides to verify the incident and co-ordinate the handling of the case in accordance with the law. — VNS