Authorities in Đắk Lắk province have intensified their efforts against illegal coffee production as the region grapples with counterfeit coffee products flooding the market, particularly during the Tết Nguyên Đán festivities of 2025. The Economic Police Department recently reported significant findings related to the production and sale of fake coffee with misleading caffeine content, leading to several arrests and the confiscation of substantial quantities of dubious products.
On February 22, 2025, local police announced the arrest of two key figures linked to Phát Hải Company, Nguyen Thanh Hai, the company’s chairman, and Le Thi Thanh Tam, its branch director. Their operation was discovered when authorities investigated retail venues across Buôn Ma Thuột, leading to the seizure of over 100 kilograms of coffee bearing brands such as "Cà phê bột Phát Hải chồn coffee" and "Coffee Phát Hải".
Laboratory tests revealed alarming results; caffeine levels ranged from 0.41% to 0.46%, significantly lower than the proclaimed value of at least 1% advertised on the packaging. This disparity raised red flags about quality assurance and compliance within the coffee market. Police proceeded to search the company’s headquarters based in Bình Dương province, discovering more than 2,800 packages totaling nearly 1,330 kilograms of coffee powder, along with various other incriminated materials including soybeans and processed coffee husks.
Nguyen Thanh Hai was accused of manufacturing counterfeit coffee by utilizing only 10% actual coffee beans, heavily mixing them with 70% soybeans and 20% coffee husk fragments. To evade detection, Hai reportedly employed only family members for the roasting and grinding processes and frequently altered packaging designs to maintain their operations under the radar.
Data revealed by authorities indicated this operation was not unique; since late 2022, the Đắk Lắk police unit identified 12 separate cases involving counterfeit coffee production, leading to the recovery of over 20 tons of fake coffee products intended for market sales. According to ANTV, even more startling, the estimated retail value reached nearly 20 billion VND across roughly 344 tons of substandard coffee sold within the last 11 months.
Meanwhile, the crackdown included actions against Lương Đình Đệ, another suspect caught transporting 1,500 kilograms of coffee marketed under "Coffee HLP Huynh Long Phát". The tests conducted on this batch also confirmed questionable caffeine levels, affirming consistent patterns of deceit throughout the operations. Law enforcement uncovered additional materials at Đệ's production site, strengthening the case against him.
"Hàm lượng caffeine chỉ từ 0,41% đến 0,46%," stated one of the reports released during the investigation, highlighting the disturbing quality control issues impacting consumer health directly.
With the rising global demand for coffee, unethical practices and deceitful marketing put pressure on maintaining product integrity. Local officials are ramping up their resolve to fight back, ensuring public safety along with the protection of legitimate businesses and consumers' trust alike.
The Đắk Lắk police promise vigilant enforcement of existing laws, emphasizing steps forward to monitor coffee production more strictly, ensuring quality and safety standards are upheld. The coffee industry’s integrity is at stakes as the threat of counterfeit products continues to pose challenges for effective consumer protection.