Prosecution and temporary detention of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Chairman of An Giang Provincial People's Committee

On December 25, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security prosecuted and temporarily detained Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang province, for abusing his position and power to intervene and direct Trung Hau - Tong 68 Investment Joint Stock Company to be granted a license to explore, exploit, adjust reserves, capacity and exploit illegally at the sand mines in My Hiep and Binh Phuoc Xuan communes, Cho Moi district, An Giang province.

This is a new development in the process of the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security investigating the case of Violating regulations on research, exploration, and exploitation of natural resources; Giving bribes; Receiving bribes; Taking advantage of positions and powers while performing official duties, occurring at Trung Hau Investment Joint Stock Company - Tong 68, Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province and related units according to Decision to prosecute criminal case No. 29/QD-CSKT-P9 dated August 10, 2023.

Expanding the investigation of the case, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security determined that: Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang province, took advantage of his position and power to intervene and direct Trung Hau - Tong 68 Investment Joint Stock Company to be licensed to explore, exploit, adjust reserves, capacity and exploit in violation of the law at the sand mines of My Hiep and Binh Phuoc Xuan communes, Cho Moi district, illegally profiting an especially large amount of money, causing damage to state property, committing the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties", as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 356 of the Penal Code.

On December 23, 2023, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security issued a Decision to prosecute the accused, an Arrest Warrant for temporary detention, and a Search Warrant against Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh for the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties", as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 356 of the Penal Code.

After the Supreme People's Procuracy approved, on December 24-25, 2023, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency executed the above Decisions and Orders in accordance with the provisions of law.

The Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency is continuing to expand the investigation into the case; reviewing, seizing, and freezing the assets of the subjects to ensure complete recovery for the State.

Previously, on August 24, 2023, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security issued a Decision to prosecute the accused, an Arrest Warrant for temporary detention and a Search Warrant against Tran Anh Thu, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang province, for the crime of "Receiving bribes" as prescribed in Article 354 of the Penal Code.

In addition, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security has issued a decision to prosecute Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province Nguyen Viet Tri and 17 other defendants in the case of sand exploitation exceeding the licensed reserves, illegally earning 253 billion VND at Trung Hau Investment Joint Stock Company - Tong 68.

The investigation results determined: Trung Hau Investment Joint Stock Company - Tong 68 (headquartered in Binh Hung Commune, Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) with Le Quang Binh as Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director. Trung Hau Company was licensed by the People's Committee of An Giang Province to exploit a total volume of more than 1.5 million m3 of sand to supply 4 projects: My Thuan - Can Tho Expressway Project; Route connecting National Highway 91 and Long Xuyen City bypass; Long Dien A - B Canal Project and Component Projects of Can Tho - Hau Giang and Hau Giang - Ca Mau sections of the North - South Expressway Project, Eastern Region.

Taking advantage of the granted Mineral Exploitation License, Le Quang Binh directed employees and hired related parties to organize the initial exploitation of 4.7 million m3 of sand, exceeding the licensed reserve by over 3.2 million m3, with a provisional value of about 253 billion VND, leaving it out of the books without declaring and paying financial obligations for the amount of sand exploited in excess of the license.

To sell the illegally mined sand for illegal profits, Le Quang Binh and his accomplices used tricks through intermediary companies they established to manage the purchase of input invoices that falsified the origin of the sand. Binh used the money he collected to pay a number of officials of functional agencies, including Nguyen Viet Tri, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province.

Based on collected documents and evidence proving the violation of the law, on August 10 and 14, 2023, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security issued a Decision to prosecute the criminal case "Violating regulations on exploration and exploitation of resources; Giving and receiving bribes; Taking advantage of positions and powers while performing official duties; Printing, issuing and illegally buying and selling invoices and documents for payment to the State budget"; occurring at Trung Hau Company and related units; prosecuting the accused, issuing an Arrest Warrant for temporary detention and a Search Warrant for 18 subjects on 5 charges.

In particular, the Investigation Police Agency, Ministry of Public Security has prosecuted three subjects for the crime of "Violating regulations on research, exploration and exploitation of natural resources", stipulated in Article 227 and the crime of "Giving bribes" stipulated in Article 364 of the Penal Code: Le Quang Binh (Chairman of the Board of Directors, General Director); Vo Truyen Thong (Deputy General Director) and Nguyen Tan Linh (Executive Director of Trung Hau 68 Mine Company).

The Investigation Police Agency prosecuted 6 subjects for the crime of "Violating regulations on research, exploration and exploitation of natural resources", stipulated in Article 227 of the Penal Code: Le Trong Hai (Deputy General Director); Hoang Hai Thuy (Deputy General Director); Tran Anh Tuan (Project Director) and employees of Trung Hau 68 Company including: Nguyen Minh Thoi, Nguyen Van Tuan and Nguyen Dinh Nhan.

The Investigation Police Agency prosecuted Tu Quang Xuan, Director of Phuoc Xuyen Company, for the crime of "Illegal printing, issuance, and trading of invoices and documents for payment to the state budget" as prescribed in Article 203 of the Penal Code.

The Investigation Police Agency prosecuted 7 subjects for the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties" under Article 356 of the Penal Code: Huynh Van Thai (Head of the Minerals Department, Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang); Tran Van Hai (Director of the Monitoring Center of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province) and the Center's staff including: Truong Minh Tam, Thai Thanh Quy, Le Nhut Truong, Nguyen Van Tho and Bui Minh Tuan (Deputy Director of Nam Khang Company and Director of Viet Khoa Company).

Regarding the crime of "Receiving bribes" stipulated in Article 354 of the Penal Code, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security prosecuted Nguyen Viet Tri, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province.