Police and inspectors in Dong Nai Province have raided a facility that pumps pigs full of water to increase their weight and sedates them before slaughter.

Drugs seized at a illegal slaughter house

At a facility owned by Pham Van Vui in Bien Hoa City, the police discovered 120 pigs. 30 of them had been pumped full of water and given sedatives.

Vui allegedly admitted the pigs were going to be sent to Nam Phong Slaughter House in HCM City. Police and government investigators took samples for laboratory tests.

In March, Duong Thi Hoa, a pig trader in Dong Nai Province, was fined for inflating and sedating pigs. In January, police raided a facility of Pham Duc Duy, where 109 pigs were found to have been pumped full of water and sedated. They raided another facility for the same violation.

Officials said the pigs had been fed Prozil Fort, an animal transquiliser.

Nguyen Huu Duc, from HCM City Medical University, said, "Prozil is used on pigs to keep them calm before slaughter, but the drug can accumulate in the meat and poses a health risk for those consuming it."

Eating the drug-tainted meat over a long period can result kidney problems and mental illnesses, and children are particularly vulnerable due to their fast metabolism rates.

Veterinarian Nguyen Thi Luong warned consumers of meat tainted with Prozil may suffer memory loss, sleeplessness and depression.