Tran Thi Nhu Hao, 27, and her husband Nguyen Trong Anh, 31, residents of Thoi An Ward in Ho Chi Minh City, who have been detained for allegedly manufacturing and distributing weight-loss supplements containing banned sibutramine. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security
According to investigators, Tran Thi Nhu Hao, 27, and her husband Nguyen Trong Anh, 31, were detained on charges of violating food safety regulations.
Earlier, officers raided production and distribution sites linked to Mai Xuan Thanh Agricultural Products Co., Ltd. in Binh My Commune and other locations, seizing more than 5,200 packaged supplement products under the Emo’s brand, along with 639 kilograms of raw powder materials, machinery, and nearly 33,000 labeled packages.
Investigators said the couple had organized large-scale production since 2018.
The production process of Emo’s weight-loss supplements containing banned sibutramine. Photo: C.A.
Despite being marketed as weight-loss products, the supplements allegedly had no real slimming effect.
Instead, investigators found they were mixed with sibutramine, a banned substance that suppresses appetite but can cause severe side effects, including heart attack, arrhythmia, and high blood pressure.
According to police, the operation generated revenue worth tens of billions of dong over several years. [VND10 billion = US$380,100]
In just February and March, products containing the banned substance were sold with an estimated value exceeding VND3.4 billion ($129,200).
The case remains under further investigation as authorities work to identify related distributors and expand the probe.