The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that according to reports from specialized veterinary authorities and media agencies, the phenomenon of illegal trade and transport of buffalo and cows across the central border and South Vietnam to Vietnam is widespread and complicated in the past period, especially the border to Laos and Cambodia.

This phenomenon increases the risk of infection and the spread of dangerous diseases in animals such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), skin rash (VDNC), etc., which do not comply with animal health and food safety requirements people are seriously affected.

In order to urgently put an end to the above situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has sent out a document urging municipalities to step up inspection and control, especially at border gates, paths and openings in border areas to promptly fix them to detect and strictly deal with cases of illegal trade and transport of animals, especially buffalo and cows, products of buffalo and cows to Vietnam.

Communities must ensure that the illegal import, transport and trade of buffalo and cows into Vietnam at trails, vents, etc., especially in border areas with Laos and Cambodia, is stopped.

The ministry instructed local functional agencies to set up special projects, investigate, fight and severely deal with organizations and individuals who illegally trade in buffalo and cow products and transport them to Vietnam.

Accordingly, if shipments containing buffalo and cows are transported illegally, they must be properly destroyed. The ministry also called on municipalities to instruct the Provincial 389 Steering Committee to closely coordinate information and data and proactively share information and data with local central veterinary authorities and local veterinary authorities.

In addition, it is necessary to instruct the local market administration to strengthen traffic control measures, promptly detect and strictly deal with cases of illegal transport and trade of buffalo and cows to Vietnam.

Together with the Department of Animal Health, the ministry called for the establishment of inspection teams to check the status of trade, transportation and slaughter of buffalo and cows, and to organize and direct specialized veterinary agencies to carry out surveillance of animal diseases, animals containing banned substances used in imported buffalo and cows and are suspected of illegally importing into Vietnam.

It focused on the clinical examination and organized urine sampling to quickly check the use of banned substances for imported buffalo and cows. In the event of rapid testing of urine samples with suspicious or positive results, the slaughter must be stopped immediately and the sample sent to the laboratory for confirmation to enable proper treatment.