On December 31, the Economic Police Division of the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department announced that they had issued a decision to prosecute and temporarily detain Phan Thi Xuan Mai, 59, a resident of Tang Nhon Phu Ward, for "causing environmental pollution".

Although the incident was initially uncovered nearly a year ago, authorities have now officially filed charges to proceed in accordance with the law.

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Police issue arrest warrant and prosecution decision for Phan Thi Xuan Mai. Photo: HCMC Police

According to the investigation, on January 15, 2025, police in the former Thu Duc City, in coordination with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the People's Committee of the former Tang Nhon Phu A Ward, inspected a plot of land at Lot No. 09, Map Sheet No. 64.

The 728-square-meter plot was directly managed and used by Phan Thi Xuan Mai.

At the time of the inspection, authorities caught Nguyen Thanh Trung (born 1997, resident of Long Truong Ward, HCMC) red-handed while operating a motorized tricycle to dump waste at the site.

On-site inspections revealed that the land was filled with solid construction waste, including rubble, plywood, scrap metal, packaging materials, and broken glass. The waste was dumped openly, without any form of covering or containment, in violation of environmental protection regulations.

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The land plot where over 257 tons of waste were illegally dumped. Photo: HCMC Police

Samples were collected and sent for expert analysis. The results confirmed that the waste consisted of ordinary solid waste from construction activities, not containing persistent organic pollutants as defined under the Stockholm Convention.

However, the total volume of waste dumped illegally amounted to 257,318 kilograms (over 257 tons).

Based on the quantity of illegally dumped waste, the Criminal Investigation Agency determined that Mai’s actions constituted a criminal offense. She has been charged under Article 235 of the Penal Code, which pertains to the illegal burial, disposal, or discharge of ordinary solid waste into the environment in quantities ranging from 200,000 kg to under 500,000 kg.

The case remains under further investigation by the Ho Chi Minh City police, who are working to identify and prosecute other individuals involved in the environmental violation.

Dam De