Four Consular Department officials suspended for bribery investigation

Many repatriation flights conducted during COVID-19 pandemic (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on January29 that it had issued a decision to suspend work of four officials of itsConsular Department to serve the investigation into a case of taking bribes whilelicensing the firms that conducted repatriation flights for Vietnamese people.

Determining that this is an act of seeking profits illegally,with the spirit of no forbidden zones, no exceptions and no tolerance, theministry will closely coordinate with related agencies to clarify the case.

Earlier, the Investigation Security Agency under theMinistry of Public Security prosecuted and detained the four individuals for thecharge of “taking bribes” under Article 354 of the Penal Code. Decisions on thesearch of their workplace and residence were also made.

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

The investigation into the case is being expanded to bringto light all those involved./.

VNA