Two former major generals of Coast Guard sentenced to 27 years in prison

Hanoi (VNA) – Two former major generals of the Coast Guard High Command on July 15 were sentenced jail terms of 27 years in total for “receiving bribes” in a case of smuggling 200 million litres of RON 95 petrol worth around 2.8 trillion VND (130 million USD) into Vietnam.

At the trial held by the Military Court of Military Zone 7, Le Van Minh, former Major General of the Coast Guard Zone 4 Command, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, while Le Xuan Thanh, former Major General of the Coast Guard Zone 3 Command got 12 years behind bar.

The duo are among 14 defendants in the case, of whom former Colonel Phung Danh Thoai, head of the Petroleum Office’s Logistics Department under the Coast Guard High Command, received a jail sentence of seven years for “smuggling.”

Another former Colonel, Nguyen The Anh, Commander of Kien Giang province’s Border Guard, was sentenced to life imprisonment for “receiving bribes” and two years for “helping others flee abroad illegally.” His total sentence was life imprisonment.

Cao Phuoc Hoai, from Tam Quan Bac ward, Hoai Nhon town, Binh Dinh province, was handed down a jail term of six months and 21 days for not reporting the crime. However, the man was freed right after the trial as he spent the same detention period.

The others who shared the charge of “receiving bribes” got jail terms ranging from two and a half years to up to 16 years.

According to the indictment, Dao Ngoc Vien, Director of Hai Phong Ocean, and Phan Thanh Huu, Director of Phan Le Hoang Anh, asked Thoai to use his influence on the Coast Guard to help smuggle of about 200 million litres of gasoline, worth about 130 million USD, into Vietnam.

Thoai contributed 5 billion VND (213,730 USD) and in return made profits of more than 22 billion VND (940,410 USD) between September 2019 and February 2021.

Nguyen The Anh took advantage of his position and power to help cover the gasoline smuggling activities and took bribes of 6.2 billion VND (265,020 USD) and 560,000 USD.

Anh asked his cousin, Nguyen Van An, residing in HCM City, to receive money between October 2019 and January 2021. From February 2021, Anh also asked Cao Phuoc Hoai and Nguyen Van Quan to help receive money.

Between December 2019 and January 2021, Le Van Minh received 6.9 billion VND (294,940 USD) to help cover the smuggling activities, while Le Xuan Thanh asked his wife, Phan Thi Xuan, to receive 1.8 billion VND (76,940 USD) from gasoline smuggler Phan Thanh Huu.

Several suspects, including Phan Thanh Huu and Dao Ngoc Vien, have been put on trial in Dong Nai province./.