The ministry announced late on July 28 that investigators are widening a case involving allegations of offering bribes, accepting bribes, brokering bribes, violating accounting regulations causing serious consequences, abusing influence over officials for personal gain, and forgery in official duties.

The investigation centers on activities at the Testing, Certification and Quality Services Center, NhoNho Technology Co., Ltd., Thuy Fruit One Member Co., Ltd., and other related organizations and individuals involved in the durian export business.

According to the ministry, the Police Department for Investigation of Corruption, Economic and Smuggling Crimes (C03) found evidence that Hoang Trung, formerly Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and now Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment, and Nguyen Quang Hieu, Deputy Director General of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, allegedly abused their official positions by issuing unlawful policies and creating unnecessary administrative licensing requirements to benefit vested interests and obtain exceptionally large illicit gains.

Investigators allege that the two officials also intervened in and directed subordinates to issue fraudulent inspection certificates and cultivation area codes, while facilitating the illegal buying and selling of cultivation area codes and packing facility codes.

Authorities said 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 harmed the reputation and international brand of Vietnam's agricultural exports.

Based on the evidence collected, investigators have formally charged and placed Hoang Trung and Nguyen Quang Hieu in pre-trial detention on allegations of accepting bribes under Article 354 of Vietnam's Criminal Code.

Authorities have also charged Nguyen Thi Ha, head of Regional Plant Quarantine Sub-Department 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, with forgery in official duties under Article 359 of the Criminal Code.

The Ministry of Public Security said investigators will continue expanding the probe to determine the responsibilities of other individuals at government agencies, testing organizations, cultivation area code holders and packing facilities. Authorities are also working to recover state assets linked to the case.

Dinh Hieu