Prosecuted 2 reporters for 'Extortion of property'
After collecting information related to violations at the sand collection site, two reporters pressured the business owner to sign a propaganda contract with a minimum price of 55 million and a maximum price of 95 million.
On January 4, the Investigation Police Agency of Tuyen Hoa District Police, Quang Binh Province, issued a decision to prosecute and issue a temporary detention order against Bui Thanh Tung (born in 1985), residing in Kim Van Kim Lu urban area, Dai Kim ward, Hoang Mai district, Hanoi and Phan Van Tien (born in 1997), residing in Quang Luu commune, Quang Trach district, Quang Binh province, for the act of "Extortion of property".
Initial investigation results determined that on December 3, 2024, in the name of reporters of TN&MT Newspaper, Bui Thanh Tung and Phan Van Tien went to Tien Hoa commune, Tuyen Hoa district to record some images of activities at the sand gathering site of a unit.
After collecting information and documents with images related to the violations of this unit, Tung and Tien pressured the owner of the violating business, threatened to write a report, then forced the business to sign an advertising and propaganda contract with the lowest price of 55 million VND and the highest price of 95 million VND.
Because the amount of money requested was too large, the business owner asked for it but Tung and Tien did not agree and continuously threatened and forced them to comply.
On December 26, 2024, while Bui Thanh Tung and Phan Van Tien continued to threaten and force the business to sign the contract, they were caught red-handed by the police, along with 15 million VND identified as evidence related to the act of extortion.
During the search, the police seized 41.5 million VND (including 15 million VND as evidence in the case), a press card and many related exhibits and documents.
The case is under investigation and expansion.
