Head of International Relations Department of Government Office arrested for involvement in 'rescue flight'

On September 20, Lieutenant General To An Xo, Chief of Office, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security, said that the Ministry of Public Security's Security Investigation Agency has prosecuted, issued an arrest warrant, and ordered a search of the residence and workplace of Nguyen Thanh Hai (born 1971 in Hanoi; occupation: Head of the Department of International Relations, Government Office) for the crime of "Receiving bribes", as prescribed in Article 354 of the Penal Code.

After the Supreme People's Procuracy approved, the Ministry of Public Security's Security Investigation Agency served the Decision to prosecute the accused, executed the Order to arrest the accused for temporary detention, and searched the residence and workplace of the above accused.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai was temporarily detained due to his involvement in the "rescue flight" during the Covid-19 outbreak. Illustrative photo

The Security Investigation Agency, Ministry of Public Security is expanding the investigation into the case to strictly handle it according to the provisions of the law. Previously, the authorities arrested Mr. To Anh Dung, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, former Director of the Consular Department; Mr. Do Hoang Tung, former Deputy Director of the Consular Department; Mr. Le Tuan Anh, former Chief of the Consular Department Office; Mr. Luu Tuan Dung, Deputy Head of the Citizen Protection Department of the Consular Department.

At the Immigration Department - Ministry of Public Security, former Deputy Director Tran Van Du and two subordinates Vu Sy Cuong and Vu Anh Tuan were arrested for the crime of Receiving bribes.

Authorities also prosecuted Mr. Pham Trung Kien, an expert from the Department of Medical Equipment and Construction, Ministry of Health; Mr. Ngo Quang Tuan, an expert from the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Transport; and Ms. Nguyen Mai Anh, an expert from the Department of International Relations, Government Office.

Mr. Bui Huy Hoang, an officer of the Department of Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health, is currently the only person being investigated for fraud and property appropriation.

This is a case related to profiteering in nearly 2,000 flights to "rescue" Vietnamese people back home, during the tense Covid-19 pandemic. According to information from the Ministry of Public Security, each of these flights, after deducting expenses, had a profit of several billion VND./.