Appeal trial of fake cancer drug trafficking case
The High People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City today summoned nearly 200 people to the appeal hearing, including the former chairman of VN Pharma and his accomplices in trafficking 9,300 boxes of fake cancer drugs.
The panel of judges includes three senior judges, with Mr. Vo Van Khoa as the chairman. The trial is expected to last until February 11.
At the first instance trial held in October last year, Nguyen Minh Hung (42 years old, former Chairman of VN Pharma) was sentenced to 17 years in prison by the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City for the crime ofCounterfeit medicine is a drug.Hung accepted the punishment and did not appeal. However, as the mastermind, Hung was still summoned (along with 11 accomplices) at the appeal hearing for the court to fully review the case.
To serve the trial, the court also summoned members of the Appraisal Council of the Ministry of Health, VN Pharma Company, Ho Chi Minh City Drug Testing Institute, Drug Administration Department and more than 180 people with related rights and obligations, related persons and witnesses.
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Nguyen Minh Hung in court last October. Photo: Huu Khoa. |
According to the first instance verdict, in 2013, Hung ordered H-Capita 500mg (cancer treatment drug) from Vo Manh Cuong (Director of H&C International Maritime Trading Company) - representative of Helix Canada Company. Because the partner could not provide the required documents, Hung directed his subordinates to hire pharmacists to write the drug's technical profile, make fake seals and documents to submit to the Drug Administration Department for licensing, then successfully imported 9,300 boxes of H-Capita 500mg to Ho Chi Minh City.
The defendants also inflated the price of the drug from 27 USD to 75 USD, leaving the difference of more than 6.8 billion VND off the books for drug sales. Suspecting the origin of the drug batch, the Drug Administration Department inspected and sealed it, preventing it from being sold on the market. Authorities determined that the Helix Canada Company was not real and was not licensed to operate in the pharmaceutical industry. The drugs were all fake in origin, quality and "not used to treat people". According to the bill of lading, the H-Capita drug batch was manufactured in India and transported through Singapore, then imported to Vietnam.
Last October, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court sentenced Vo Manh Cuong to 20 years in prison for the crime ofCounterfeit medicine is a drug.Other defendants received sentences ranging from 3 years in prison (suspended) to 12 years in prison. Cuong appealed, claiming his innocence, while most of the remaining defendants asked for a reduction in their sentences.
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Vo Manh Cuong is considered to have a role equal to Nguyen Minh Hung's in the case. Photo: Huu Khoa. |
During the second phase of the investigation into violations at VN Pharma, on October 31, 2019, Nguyen Minh Hung and 6 accomplices continued to be prosecuted for the act ofCounterfeit medicine is a drug.
Initial investigation results determined that Hung directed his subordinates to create fake license application documents, colluding with Vo Manh Cuong to buy 4 types of antibiotics: Kafotax - 1000, Kaderox - 250, H2K Levfloxacin and H2K Coprofloxacin. These drugs are of unknown origin, and VN Pharma smuggled them in and sold them all.
Regarding violations at the Drug Administration of Vietnam in granting licenses to VN Pharma to import fake drugs, in September 2019, the Ministry of Public Security's Security Investigation Agency initiated a case.Lack of responsibility causes serious consequencesbut have not yet announced the results of the investigation.
