VietNamNet Bridge - On November 11, a source from the Khanh Hoa Province Police Agency told VietNamNet that this agency has transferred the misappropriation of aloes wood case to the Office of Investigating Police of the Ministry of Public Security (PC44) for further investigation, after it detected criminal signs.

Policemen’s misappropriation of aloes denounced to Public Security Ministry




The source also said PC44 had summoned the three police officers involved in this case, including a lieutenant colonel, a major and a lieutenant of Khanh Son District, Khanh Hoa province, for investigation.

Earlier, on November 5 and, Bui Van Khanh and Thai Tung, residents of Khanh Son district, represented over 300 aloes wood collectors in Khanh Son to send letters of denunciation to several provincial and central bodies, accusing the three above police officers for misappropriating 1.5 kg of aloes.

According to Khanh and Tung, on the night of September 26, over 300 people were permitted by the three above policemen to search for aloes wood in Gop Nga forest, Khanh Son district, with the sharing rate of 50/50.

These people collected around 1.5kg of aloes wood but the above police officers took the wood without making seizure minutes. According to Tung, 1.5kg of aloes wood is worth around VND15-16 billion ($700,000-800,000).

In early October, aloes wood seekers sent a petition to the People's Committee of Khanh Son district and Khanh Son district police, asking them to handle the case. Not yet receiving a response from the authorities, they grouped up to ask for the local government to clarify the matter.

As the case was broken, Khanh Hoa’s police agency conducted investigation. Some police officers of Khanh Son district had to pay back more than VND1 billion ($50,000) to the local authorities.

At the same time, the defense inspectorate of Khanh Hoa Provincial Military Command performed inspection. Nine officers and two non-commissioned officers of the army force of Khanh Son district also had to pay back VND220 million ($10,000) of “commission” from aloes wood hunters.

Khue Vu