According tothe news agency Vietnam Bridge, these are second-grade products, which Chinese people never eat, but are used in delicious cuisine at restaurants in Vietnam. Grilled chicken legs, boiled pig entrails and grilled goat brisket are now most popular amongst Hanoians.

Theselow quality items tens to be preserved by toxic substances. A trader said tainted chicken legs and entrails are submerged in various chemicals to make them look fresh. Chefs at restaurants only need to mix these things with spices to make them tasty.

Illegal imports

Second-grade chickens, which are not quarantined, are also illegally imported through the border province of Lang Son. This kind of chicken is inexpensive, around VND25,000-30,000kg and sold for VND55-60,000 at markets.

Bai Gianh in Lang Son knows about the smugglers. Nearly 1km from the Huu Nghi border-gate, Bai Gianh is where porters convene to enter China and take chickens and entrails during the night.

Though the local police have set checkpoints to prevent the inflow of Chinese animal products, tons are still being sold at markets each day. And at market, nobody can distinguish between these toxic, tainted products and fresh ones.

In 2007, the trafficking policy agency seized 170 tons of smuggled chickens, entrails and over 22,000 living chickens and nearly 60,000 eggs. A senior policeman said this is an unremarkable volume because traffic policemen only inspect suspicious trucks and these products can be transported by all manner of vehicles.