Police search Vietnam Register

On December 28, Ho Chi Minh City Police coordinated with Hanoi Police and many professional units of the Ministry of Public Security to search the Motor Vehicle Inspection Department, Vietnam Register, on Pham Hung Street, Nam Tu Liem District.

The source said that Ho Chi Minh City Police were authorized to investigate violations related to vehicle inspection. Authorities have worked with many employees who keep documents of the unit, checked computers and records related to vehicle inspection activities, personnel decisions as well as the establishment of inspection teams for vehicle inspection activities...

During the search, image data of some inspection stations were checked to serve the investigation. Police seized many documents related to the functions and powers of the Motor Vehicle Inspection Department.

Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thi Kim Ly - Head of PC01 Department, Ho Chi Minh City Police said that the search of the Motor Vehicle Inspection Department is part of the extended investigation into violations in the case.Bribery, Bribery Acceptance, Bribery BrokerageandFraud at workoccurred at many inspection centers in Saigon and the Western provinces.

In addition to investigating such acts, the investigation agency also considers responsibility in state management, and if there are violations, it will be resolutely handled. Authorities have prosecuted 43 people involved, searched 12 centers (5 in the provinces, 12 in Ho Chi Minh City), Ms. Ly said.

Police read a search warrant at the Vietnam Register. Photo:Spring Flower

The violations of these centers were exposed after Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Police discovered many vehicles that did not meet technical safety standards such as: trucks, dump trucks with extended sides and boxes; rims of incorrect size; worn tires; blurred license plates, not meeting emission standards... were still granted certificates of technical safety and environmental protection.

Identifying signs of crime, Ho Chi Minh City Police began investigating and collecting evidence that a series of inspection centers had received bribes to ignore violations for about 70,000 cars during inspection. Specifically, the center's director directed the deputy director, inspectors, interns, and office staff to ignore violations during the manual inspection process; rented spare parts to replace parts that did not meet standards, used software to interfere with the inspection system to change emission inspection parameters, etc.

A special investigation team was established immediately afterwards, and those involved were arrested one after another; many documents and evidence were seized. Authorities urgently searched five private inspection centers directed by Tran Lap Nghia, including: 62-03D in Long An province; 71-02D ​​in Ben Tre; 83-02D in Soc Trang; 66-02D in Dong Thap; 63-03D in Tien Giang.

In Saigon, there is the 50-07V Vehicle Inspection Center (under the Vietnam Register, Binh Tan District) directed by Ngo Ngoc Son; 50-15D (Thu Duc City) directed by Nguyen Trong Vinh; 50-10D (Cu Chi District) directed by Nguyen Thanh Tam, and 50-17D (Nha Be District) directed by Ho Huu Tai.

The search at the Vietnam Register is to clarify violations related to vehicle registration in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces. Photo:Nhat Vy

At Nghia’s inspection centers, the investigation agency also discovered the act of creating a fake list of inspectors to legitimize the Government’s regulations on the business of motor vehicle inspection services. The leaders of this center also asked their subordinates to forge the signatures of inspectors to sign the inspection records, then issued nearly 52,300 certificates of technical safety and environmental protection inspection for cars coming for inspection.

The investigation agency said that a vehicle inspection process would include 3 inspection officers, but these centers only used 2 people, the remaining person was a fake to bypass the General Department of Vehicle Inspection's camera, forged signatures, and issued inspection certificates. For vehicles that did not meet inspection requirements, this group used blindfolds to measure and then did everything so that the vehicles could pass inspection. Initial investigation results determined that the centers had illegally profited nearly 10 billion VND.

Identifying possible violations at inspection centers nationwide, Ho Chi Minh City Police coordinated with the Economic Police Department, the Traffic Police Department (Ministry of Public Security) and provinces and cities to expand the investigation of the case; at the same time, proposed to revoke the certificate of technical safety and environmental protection inspection that was issued in violation of regulations; immediately prevent unsafe and technically unsafe vehicles from circulating on the road.