On March 28, information from the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department said that they had just completed the investigation conclusion and transferred the case file to the People's Procuracy at the same level to propose prosecuting 24 defendants in the illegal sand mining ring and other illegal activities led by Truong Van Chinh (39 years old, from Lam Dong).

Three other suspects are also involved in this criminal gang, but the Investigation Police Agency is investigating another independent case and will handle it later.

The defendants were proposed to be prosecuted for crimes such as: Violating regulations on resource exploitation; Bribery; Bribery brokerage; Money laundering; Abusing positions and powers while performing official duties; Consuming property obtained by others through crime; Fraudulent appropriation of property.

Defendant Truong Van Chinh. Photo: CACC

Previously, on the evening of May 5, 2022, the Water Force II - Traffic Police Department - Ministry of Public Security patrolled and controlled the coastal area of ​​Con Ngua in Can Gio district, Ho Chi Minh City and discovered 12 ships equipped with sand suction equipment with a load capacity of 591-1,793 tons, suspected of illegal sand mining activities.

The working group approached and made a record; at the same time, inspected 3 barges anchored at the Vam Tuan River junction in Can Giuoc district, Long An province.

The Traffic Police Department - Ministry of Public Security has handed over the case to the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department of Investigation to expand the investigation and handle it according to its authority.

Right from the initial stage, Ho Chi Minh City Police prosecuted Truong Van Chinh and 2 other subjects for the crime of "Violating regulations on resource exploitation".

Illegal sand mining ship. Photo: CACC
Illegal sand is gathered and transported to other places for consumption. Photo: CACC

Investigation determined that from early February to early May 2022, Chinh organized and operated an illegal sand mining line in the Con Ngua sea area (in Can Gio district) including 9 suction ships with registration marks in different provinces and cities such as Hai Duong, Dong Nai, and Hai Phong city.

Chinh and some other subjects hired more ships to operate and sell illegal sand. Chinh and the captains of the ships had a zalo group to communicate; at the same time, they used codes to communicate and give instructions within the group, such as: when going to dredge sand, they would text "let's go drinking", "turn off the lights" and on days when they couldn't dredge sand, they would text "let's stop drinking".

To avoid detection by authorities, Chinh arranged the time for illegal sand mining and consumption to take place from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. the next day.

During the investigation expansion, the Investigation Police Agency prosecuted 24 other people, most of whom are from Nam Dinh, Hai Phong, Hai Duong...

In which, the Investigation Police Agency prosecuted Bui Van Song (Permanent Deputy Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council of Minh Hoa commune) and Pham Thi Hoa - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Minh Hoa commune, Kinh Mon town, Hai Duong province) for the crime of "Taking advantage of position and power while performing official duties".

Through investigation, it was determined that the suspect Song is the husband of Truong Thi Minh (owner of a mining vessel). When Minh's mining vessel was detained by the authorities, Song directed Pham Thi Hoa to sign the confirmation of legalization of the authorization papers, which was the authorization signed after the time the mining vessels were detained, in order to help the subjects legalize the documents to request the return of the sand dredging vessel.

Or as the Investigation Police Agency clarified the bribery and fraud activities related to the subjects in the case. Specifically, when the sand mining ships were discovered, inspected, and detained, the subjects tried to ask people to "run the case".

Some subjects, although not having the authority or ability to help other subjects exploit sand, still promise, negotiate and receive money from other subjects to serve their personal needs.

Ho Chi Minh City Police have additionally prosecuted Truong Van Chinh and Truong Van Thang for the crime of “Giving bribes”; prosecuted Bui Van Cuong (41 years old, from Da Nang City) for the crime of “Bribery brokerage” and prosecuted Trinh Van Hung (45 years old, from Thanh Hoa, former officer of the Logistics Department - Ministry of Public Security) for the crime of “Fraudulent appropriation of property”.

The Ho Chi Minh City Police Department has focused on investigating and clarifying the cash flow and source of income from illegal mining activities; the investigation results have determined that relatives of some subjects have concealed the origin of the illegal income. The investigation agency has prosecuted 2 subjects for the crime of "Money Laundering".