Police have launched a criminal investigation into a warehouse accused of producing fake coffee made from soybeans following a raid earlier this week, the Ministry of Public Security said.
The police seized 4.1 tonnes of fake coffee products and three tonnes of raw materials during the raid, which took place in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.
Luong Viet Kiem, the owner of the warehouse, admitted to the police that his firm mixed soybeans and flavourings with coffee beans to produce ground coffee for the local market.
The police said the warehouse raid came after a search of a truck carrying 1,056 bags of ground coffee weighing 528kg, which had no accompanying documentation.
“Soybeans and corn are edible and cheaper than real coffee beans, but who knows if it’s safe to drink these fake coffee products,” said Nguyen Quang Tho, a coffee trader in the neighbouring province of Dak Lak.
Farmers in Central Highlands are selling coffee beans at 100,500-100,100 dong (RM15.15) per kg, around three times higher than the price for soybeans. — Reuters
