Director of Nghe An Police: 'To crack the fake gasoline case, we must catch them red-handed'

On June 10, Dak Nong Police coordinated with the Ministry of Public Security to expand the investigation into the fake gasoline ring led by Trinh Suong (50 years old, Director of My Hung Company Limited in Soc Trang).

Investigators determined that this was the largest fake gasoline production line ever. From May 28 to June 2, hundreds of police officers simultaneously searched 6 locations in Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho City, Hau Giang and Soc Trang of Trinh Suong, Dinh Chi Dung, Nguyen Ngoc Quan and Nguyen Thi Thu Hoa.

As a National Assembly delegate working in the police force, speaking to the press on the sidelines of the National Assembly, Director of Nghe An Provincial Police Nguyen Huu Cau said that the methods of those producing fake gasoline are very sophisticated. To arrest and prosecute them under criminal law, they must be caught red-handed. If they are caught in transit, if there is an inspection, they will only be punished for administrative violations of trading in substandard goods.

Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau - Director of Nghe An Provincial Police.

“To catch such subjects in the act, we must establish a case and fight, which takes a lot of time; in addition to the police force, we need very good coordination between the science and technology sector in gasoline quality assessment and market management to catch the subjects in the act of mixing. From there, we can expand and check the books and documents of buying and selling chemicals and gasoline... Catching such a case is a great effort, an achievement” - Mr. Nguyen Huu Cau emphasized.

According to regulations, the management of input petroleum products always requires invoices and documents. According to regulations of petroleum management, agents and general agents are only allowed to get from one distribution source. However, according to Mr. Nguyen Huu Cau, even if the petroleum is taken from the right source, the subject can get by-products from other places, then mix them and the fraud is at this stage.

“Nghe An’s experience in destroying a fake gasoline ring before was that it took years to set up a project and monitor very closely. If they haven’t mixed it, they can’t be caught; if they are caught red-handed mixing it, then there is enough evidence,” shared the Director of Nghe An Provincial Police.

According to this National Assembly delegate, not only gasoline but also many other products need market management forces to control while this force is thin, so we must be very sympathetic.

“As I said before, catching a case of fake gasoline requires a very long process, with the coordination of many forces. In my opinion, this is an achievement. If they don’t catch it, society will suffer many consequences,” said Mr. Nguyen Huu Cau.

Regarding the fake gasoline ring led by Trinh Suong, the defendants admitted to selling about 19.5 million liters of fake gasoline to the market at a price 7,000 - 10,000 VND per liter lower than the market price, illegally earning more than 130 billion VND. However, authorities determined that this ring consumed about 6 million liters of various types each month. The owners of the gas stations that imported and sold fake gasoline are being investigated for their involvement.

23 people were prosecuted for buying and selling gasoline with entities outside the distribution system./.