Nguyen Minh Hung, former board chairman and general director at VN Pharma, bears the highest liability in a cancer drug scandal at VN Pharma - PHOTO: TNO

The MPS’ Investigation Agency has completed its expanded probe and proposed the Supreme People's Court charge the 12 people with trading fake goods based on the 1999 Penal Code. The crime carries a typical sentence of five to 12 years behind bars.

The investigators, after taking all evidence into consideration, concluded that the transactions and sales of 9,300 boxes of H-Capita 500mg were conducted by multiple people.

Of these, Nguyen Minh Hung, former chairman of the board of directors and general director at VN Pharma, bears the highest liability.

Hung has run businesses in the pharmaceutical sector for many years and understands the regulations on imported medicines; he intentionally broke the law, the investigators pointed out in a statement.

Also, Hung worked with Vo Manh Cuong to import medicines without the required regulatory approvals and ordered his subordinates to falsify the documents to ship the substandard medicine to Vietnam for sale.

The other individuals were accused of acting as accessories, helping Hung and Cuong ship and sell the drug.

The investigators identified the case as extremely serious and complicated as the manufacture and distribution of low-quality medicines are a public health hazard.

After charges were brought, the defendants tampered with the evidence in their possession to impede the ongoing investigation.

Thus, these individuals must receive strict penalties under prevailing regulations, said the investigators. SGT