Case at consular department shows signal of taking advantage of policy to seek illegal profit: Officer

Lieut. Gen. To An Xo, Chief of the Office and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security speaks at the Government's regular press conference on April 4. (Photo: VNA) 

Hanoi (VNA) - The investigation police agency confirmed that there were acts of taking advantage of policies to seek illegal profit in the case of taking bribery at the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lieut. Gen. To An Xo, Chief of the Office and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security told the Government's regular press conference on April 4.

According to the officer, all the accused in the case who are being held in custody have initially confessed to their offences and cooperated with the investigation police agency.

This case involves many individuals at home and abroad, and agencies, departments and sectors at both central and local levels, he said.

The Investigation Security Agency under the Ministry of Public Security is working with a number of related agencies, organisations, businesses and localities to further clarify the case, Xo said.

The ministry has requested a number of individuals and organisations to cooperate with, and proactively provide relevant information for the investigation police agency, he said.

Previously, the Investigation Security Agency under the Ministry of Public Security had prosecuted the case of taking bribes at the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while licensing the firms that conducted repatriation flights for Vietnamese people abroad.

The agency issued decisions to start legal proceedings against and arrest four for “taking bribes” in line with Article 354 of the Penal Code.

The detainees are Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, born in 1974, head of the Consular Department; Do Hoang Tung, born in 1980, deputy head of the department; Le Tuan Anh, born in 1982, chief of the department’s office; and Luu Tuan Dung, born in 1987, deputy head of the citizen protection desk at the department.

The agency then prosecuted and arrested Hoang Dieu Mo, born in 1980, General Director of An Binh Commercial, Tourism and Aviation Services Co., Ltd for giving a bribe on March 25 after its further investigation.

It also issued a decision to additionally prosecute the case of “giving bribery” occurred at the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi and other provinces and cities.

At the press conference, Xo also gave more information related to another cases of public concern./.