The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court is set to begin a high-profile trial on March 19, in which Nguyen Thanh Binh, former Chairman of the An Giang People’s Committee, and Tran Anh Thu, former Deputy Chairman, will face charges related to bribery and abuse of power in illegal sand mining operations.

The trial, presided over by Judge Pham Luong Toan, will run until March 31 and involve 30 defense lawyers representing the accused.

The multi-layered corruption case

At the center of the case is Le Quang Binh, Chairman and CEO of Trung Hau 68 Investment Corporation, who faces three charges: bribery, violating resource exploitation regulations, and money laundering.

Nguyen Thanh Binh and Tran Anh Thu, along with Nguyen Viet Tri, former Director of An Giang’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DoNRE), will face charges of bribery and abuse of power.

According to the indictment, Trung Hau 68 was granted a mining exploration license in January 2021, allowing the company to extract 1.53 million cubic meters of sand from the My Hiep and Binh Phuoc Xuan sand mines in Cho Moi District. The extraction was to be strictly limited to supplying four designated construction projects.

However, from December 2021 to July 2023, Le Quang Binh allegedly orchestrated large-scale illegal mining operations, extracting a staggering 5.02 million cubic meters of sand, with 3.71 million cubic meters unlawfully sold on the market.

To cover up the illegal sales, Le Quang Binh acquired Mekong Thap Muoi Corporation, using it as a front to issue fraudulent VAT invoices and legalize the source of the mined sand.

Investigators also found that Binh directed his deputy, Hoang Hai Thuy, to launder money by funneling over VND 170 billion ($7 million) through multiple personal bank accounts before transferring funds to purchase real estate, luxury cars, and other assets.

Bribery in exchange for mining favors

Prosecutors allege that Nguyen Thanh Binh and Tran Anh Thu accepted bribes to facilitate Trung Hau 68’s illegal operations.

Tran Anh Thu allegedly received VND 961 million ($38,000) in bribes, which allowed the company to:

Retain mining rights beyond the agreed-upon period instead of returning the mine to the provincial government.

Increase extraction quotas to supply sand to unauthorized construction projects, such as the Long Xuyen Bypass and National Highway 91 expansion.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thanh Binh allegedly played a key role in granting Trung Hau 68’s mining permit without a competitive bidding process, violating state regulations. He also:

Instructed Tran Anh Thu and Nguyen Viet Tri to approve illegal mining expansions.

Allowed the company to supply sand to the My Thuan - Can Tho Expressway, despite this contradicting the original project plan.

Permitted deeper-than-authorized dredging, worsening the environmental impact on local waterways.

Prosecutors claim that in exchange for these favors, Nguyen Thanh Binh personally accepted a $300,000 bribe from Le Quang Binh.

A landmark corruption trial

This case highlights systemic corruption in resource management, particularly in Vietnam’s lucrative sand mining sector, where environmental regulations and land-use policies are frequently exploited.

Authorities are treating the trial as a major step in cracking down on high-level corruption, reinforcing Vietnam’s commitment to transparency and governance reform.

If convicted, the accused could face severe penalties, including lengthy prison sentences and asset confiscation.

As the trial unfolds, public attention will focus on how Vietnam’s legal system handles accountability for top provincial officials involved in corruption and environmental violations.

Thanh Phuong