The Vietnamese anti-drug police launched an investigation Friday into allegations that pharmaceutical companies have illegally traded addictive drugs in southern Vietnam.
Stada-Vietnam, a German-Vietnam joint venture in Ho Chi Minh City, was the first to be investigated.
Previously the company, together with seven others, filed a letter to Vietnam's anti-corruption agency, accusing Truong Quoc Cuong, chief of the Drug Administration of Vietnam, of allowing the BV Pharma Joint Venture Company to import mass quantities of pseudoephedrine.
The substance is used to produce popular cold and flu remedies, but can also be used by drug dealers to make illegal methamphetamine.
However, during their investigations, agencies found that one of the companies filing the letter was in fact selling the addictive substance.
Further investigations into the case are underway.