Police from the northern province of Quang Ninh on June 19 arrested Vu Khac Tu, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) at his private home in Hanoi, for his alleged involvement in a 9 billion VND (423,000 USD) appropriation case.

According to the police, Tu was taking part in producing blank receipts and forged signatures of workers in Quang Ninh Port Limited Liability Company ( Quang Ninh Port ) – a subsidiary of Vinalines - in 2011 and 2012 when he served as General Director of the company.

Tu was supported by Dong Thi Be, 55, president of the trade union and former chief accountant of the Quang Ninh Port, and Bui Thi Tham, 55, who is treasurer of the company.

Legal proceedings commenced in late May against Be and Tham, who were arrested in late May for their alleged asset embezzlement.

On June 16, Vinalines suspended Tu from work for 15 days to account for his actions at the alleged time of the crime. Meanwhile, Dinh Ngoc Uyen, Deputy Director of Quang Ninh Port , was also arrested earlier in June.

According to the initial investigation, from the fourth quarter of 2011 throughout 2012, Be and Tham, directed by Quang Ninh Port’s executives, issued blank receipts and falsified signatures of dockers in 36 teams in the port’s member companies of Cai Lan port 1 and Ha Long and Container Loading and Unloading.

They allegedly forged payrolls to arrogate more than 8 billion VND, which was then managed and spent by Tham under the direction of Tu and Be. The defendants have handed over 9.311 billion VND to the police.-VNA