HANOI, July 29 — Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung has been detained on bribery charges as part of an expanding corruption investigation linked to durian exports to China, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
The Ministry of Public Security said Hoang is under investigation for allegedly accepting bribes under Article 354 of the Penal Code in a case involving the Centre for Testing, Certification and Quality Services, NhoNho Technology Co., Ltd., Thuy Fruit One Member Co., Ltd., and other organisations and individuals linked to the export of durians to China.
The Investigation Police Agency’s Department for Investigating Corruption, Economic and Smuggling Crimes said its investigation found that Hoang and Nguyen Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, had allegedly abused their positions to issue unlawful policies and introduce so-called “sub-licences” for the benefit of vested interests, enabling them to obtain illicit gains amounting to an exceptionally large sum.
Police also alleged that the defendants interfered in official procedures and instructed subordinates to issue fraudulent testing certificates and cultivation area codes while facilitating the illegal trading of cultivation area codes and packing facility codes.
According to police, the alleged misconduct caused serious damage to the legitimate rights and interests of durian growers and exporting businesses, resulted in substantial losses to the State budget, and undermined the reputation and brand of Vietnam’s agricultural sector.
The Ministry of Public Security has also prosecuted and detained Nguyen Thi Ha, Head of Regional Plant Quarantine Division No. 7 under the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, and Be Thi Thu Hien, Head of the Huu Nghi-Lang Son Plant Quarantine Station, on charges of forgery in office under Article 359 of the Penal Code.
Police said investigations are continuing to determine the alleged offences committed by the defendants and other individuals linked to State management agencies, testing organisations, and entities granted cultivation area and packing facility codes.
Authorities said they would pursue legal action in accordance with the law while seeking to recover State assets linked to the case.
Police are continuing to expand the inquiry to clarify the alleged offences committed by the defendants and other related individuals at State management agencies, testing organisations, and entities granted cultivation area and packing facility codes.
Earlier, on July 28, the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee decided to expel Hoang from the party for violations.
