Accordingly, the Vietnam Trade Office in Italy sent an urgent warning to the Association regarding the cashew shipment from ENA Food Company (Ho Chi Minh City) and some new information indicating the potential for similar transactions involving several Vietnamese cashew exporting companies to Italy. 1. The case involves ENA Food Company and SNK Global Trading LLC (Dubai) purchasing cashew nuts from ENA Food Company to resell to their Italian partner, Italia Cash & Carry SRL. A shipment of one container arrived at the port of La Spezia/Livorno in August 2026. SNK paid ENA Food USD 100,000. Verification confirmed that Italia Cash & Carry SRL is a real business in Italy and this legal entity was the direct party involved in the transaction; it was not a case of impersonation or fraudulent business. However, the company's revenue was inflated significantly compared to its registered legal entity status. According to information and documents provided by both parties, Italia Cash & Carry SRL deposited approximately €40,000. Subsequently, issues arose regarding the original shipping documents. DHL reported delivery of signed documents, while the Italian bank stated they did not hold the documents, and the Italian company was not the customer. The shipping company informed the buyer that they already had the original documents and pressured them to take delivery of the goods. The details of this case bear many similarities to the case involving approximately 100 containers of cashew nuts that occurred in 2022. After receiving the information, the Trade Office connected SNK and ENA Food with the law firm Davide Gallasso, which had previously handled the 2022 case. The lawyer worked with the Italian side, Cash & Carry SRL, and warned of the possibility of legal action in Italy. The lawyer representing Cash & Carry SRL proposed returning the original documents on the condition that Vietnam refund the deposit of approximately 40,000 EUR. SNK and their representative lawyer did not accept this option and proposed a refund of 20,000 EUR, based on deductions for incurred costs such as warehousing, legal fees, and transportation to sell the goods to new customers. Currently, the parties are still in the process of negotiating a resolution to the case. Thanks to ENA Food's timely notification, the Trade Office coordinated with relevant parties, including the shipping company Yang Ming, to control the shipment and mitigate the risk of the goods being delivered to an unauthorized party. 2. Potential Risk of Similar Incidents According to information gathered by lawyer Davide Gallasso of SNK Global Trading LLC and ENA Food from several sources in the cashew trade, there is currently information suggesting that approximately 25–35 other cashew containers from Vietnam may have similar transaction methods and have been or are being transported to Italy. This information has not been fully verified. However, due to the nature of the ENA Food case and its similarities to the 2022 case, the Trade Office believes that an early warning is necessary so that businesses can proactively check and prevent risks. 3. Recommendations for Cashew Export Businesses The trade agreement requests VINACAS to notify its member businesses, especially those with transactions with customers in Italy, to urgently review cashew export transactions to Italy from the end of July 2026 to the present. Businesses need to pay special attention to the following cases: New partners or those with no clear transaction history; The partner's legal information contains inconsistencies or irregularities; There are irregularities regarding the business registration number, tax identification number, address, or representative; The partner requests or seeks to verify the Original Bill of Lading before fulfilling payment obligations; Payments are delayed, not made as agreed, or there are unusual requests for changes to the payment method; The goods have arrived at the port, but the buyer is exhibiting unusual behavior in receiving or requesting delivery. Are there any indications that the exporting business is at risk of losing control of the goods or the original documentation? In the event that a business detects an unusual transaction or shipment, it is requested to immediately contact VINACAS and the Trade Office - Vietnamese Embassy in Italy for coordinated verification and timely handling. In particular, for shipments that have arrived at Italian ports but have not yet been delivered to the recipient, businesses should proactively contact the shipping company/shipping agent to check the status of the goods and ensure control over the goods according to the transaction documents. 4. Coordinated Handling: The Vietnamese Trade Office in Italy will continue to closely monitor the ENA Food case, coordinating with the business, the Davide Gallasso Law Office, and other relevant parties. If, upon review, multiple cases with similar characteristics are discovered, the Trade Office will coordinate with VINACAS and lawyers in Italy to compile information, assess the relevance of the cases, and consider appropriate handling measures with Italian authorities, including the Guardia di Finanza and other competent judicial bodies. The Trade Office will simultaneously report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy to develop a support plan if necessary. The Vietnamese Trade Office in Italy requests the Association to disseminate this warning to its member businesses and recommends that businesses proactively review related transactions. Early detection and notification of unusual signs will be crucial in preventing losses and protecting the rights of Vietnamese businesses.