Four Vietnamese armed forces officers were disciplined with warning level following a decision made by the Party’s Central Inspection Commission during its 32nd meeting on December 3-6. 

The 32nd meeting of the Party's Central Committee.

Three officers from the police forces include Lieut. General Nguyen Cong Son, former deputy head of Police Department (under the Ministry of Public Security – MPS), Lieut. General Nguyen Van Ba, former deputy head of Police Department, and Le Dinh Nhuong, former head of the Investigative Police Department’s Office.  

The trio was accused of involving in a multi-dollar online gambling ring in which two former generals were sentenced to up to 10 years behind bars. Three officers were believed to abet and cover wrongdoers in the biggest-ever online gambling ring. 

The fourth receiving the same level of punishment (warning) is Major General Dang Ngoc Nghia, member of the National Assembly’s Committee for Defense and Security. He was blamed for having a role in consulting and executing a road project in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue when he was head of the provincial Military Command in 2005-2012. The road deteriorated soon after the construction. 

This is not the first time senior officers receiving disciplines from the party. Earlier in July, former deputy minister of Public Security Bui Van Thanh was dismissed from the post and degraded for his involvement in a case caused by property tycoon Phan Van Anh Vu. 

Over the past year, some high-ranking officers were disciplined in an effort to “regain trust” in Vietnam’s armed forces. 

The tough move happens in the context that the MPS is being reshuffled for streamlined operations.

The government in its decree dated in August 2018 showed attempts to trim six departments with 300 divisions in the MPS. 

Hanoitimes