Former Deputy Minister of Health Cao Minh Quang was arrested
Mr. Cao Minh Quang, former Deputy Minister of Health, was detained on charges of failing to check the drug production orders at Cuu Long Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company.
On March 11, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency (C03) announced that it had prosecuted Mr. Quang (66 years old) and Mr. Duong Huy Lieu (74 years old, former Director of the Financial Planning Department, Ministry of Health) to investigate the crime.Lack of responsibility causes serious consequences,according to Article 360 of the Penal Code.
Mr. Lieu was banned from leaving his place of residence and his exit from the country was delayed.
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| Former Deputy Minister of Health Cao Minh Quang. Photo:VTV |
For the same crime, C03 also prosecuted Mr. Nguyen Nam Lien (former Director of the Financial Planning Department, Ministry of Health). Previously, Mr. Lien was prosecuted and detained in the case of Viet A Company inflating the price of Covid-19 test kits.
According to C03, the two men were accused of failing to check and evaluate the implementation of the negotiation clause on the reduction of raw material purchase price when liquidating the contract to order the production of Oseltamivir with Cuu Long Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company. This violation caused the authorities to not detect that Cuu Long Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company had received a reduction in the raw material purchase price of 3.848 million USD to be recovered to the Ministry of Health, causing damage to state assets.
Mr. Quang held the position of Director of the Drug Administration from 2004 to 2007, then served as Deputy Minister of Health until 2013 and retired. At the end of December 2021, Mr. Quang was dismissed from all positions in the Party by the Secretariat due to lax leadership, lack of responsibility, and lack of inspection.
Director Lieu retired in April 2009, after many years of working at the Ministry of Health.
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| Headquarters of Cuu Long Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company. Photo: Cuu Long |
Regarding this case, in November 2021, C03 prosecuted Mr. Luong Van Hoa (former General Director of Cuu Long Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company) and Nguyen Thanh Tong (former Deputy General Director) to investigate the crime.Taking advantage of position and power while performing official duties,according to Article 356 of the Penal Code.
Cuu Long Pharmaceuticals is headquartered in Vinh Long city, Vinh Long province; operating for more than 40 years, owning 4 factories.