Coffee from used batteries, earth and dust. Factory closed (Video)

12 tons of "dirty" coffee seized. The owner bought the discarded beans and mixed them with the other "ingredients", then dyed the mixture black. This year more than three tons of product placed on the market.


Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A family-run coffee factory based in Dak Wek, in the southern province of Dak Nong, was discovered to produce "dirty" coffee from harmful materials such as used batteries, earth and rock dust.

Local police officials and food inspectors broke into the property, owned by Nguyen Thi Loan, three days ago, following reports from residents who were suspicious of the activities conducted on the premises.

Authorities report having seized 12 tons of "dirty" coffee during operations. The security forces also found some of the materials used in production. They included were 35 kg of black powder extracted from used batteries and a bucket of black liquid weighing about 10 kg.

The owner told the police that she used to buy low-priced coffee beans. They were then ground and mixed with other "ingredients" such as earth and rock dust. In the end, the mixture was dyed black.

Loan has admitted that his factory has been in operation for years and that this year has put more than three tons of his "coffee" on the market. Investigators are now examining some samples of the product in the laboratory.

Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia are among the largest coffee producers in the world. However, Vietnam is catching up quickly and there are 2.6 million people employed in the country's production facilities. During the nineties, the growth of the sector was around 20-30% every year.