Regarding violations in the payment of fishing vessel support, causing a loss of 34.6 billion VND to the State budget, the Investigation Police Agency temporarily detained and proposed to prosecute the accused Tran Van Cuong, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) for the crime of "Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences".
Defendant Tran Van Cuong (former Director of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development).
According to the investigation conclusion of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Police, defendant Tran Van Cuong, former Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, was assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to direct the Fisheries Sub-Department to inspect and supervise ship owners in building new fishing vessels, and to preside over the appraisal and approval of support. However, defendant Cuong assigned the Fisheries Sub-Department to let Nguyen Duc Hoang and Dinh Cao Thuong take advantage of their positions and powers to intentionally violate the law, causing a loss of more than 34.6 billion VND to the State budget.
Also according to the investigation conclusion, defendant Tran Van Cuong, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, continuously signed documents to request the Provincial People's Committee to approve support for fishing boats of defendants Tran Van Tai, Nguyen Van Hieu, Nguyen Van Sang, Nguyen Van Hung, and Dang The Hung.
Specifically, on June 19, 2020, defendant Tran Van Cuong, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, signed document No. 199/TTr-SNN, requesting the Provincial People's Committee to approve the adjustment of technical specifications of newly built fishing vessels for three vessels of defendants Tai, Hieu and Sang.
On July 8, 2020, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 1833, 1834 and 1835/QD-UBND approving the adjustment of technical specifications of newly built fishing vessels, increasing the main engine capacity and increasing the investment cost of building the 3 fishing vessels mentioned above.
Regarding the two steel-hulled fishing boats, on August 28, 2020, defendant Tran Van Cuong signed a submission No. 276/TTr-SNN, requesting the Provincial People's Committee to approve the adjustment of technical specifications of Nguyen Van Hung's fishing boat. On September 17, 2020, the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province issued Decision No. 2821/QD-UBND approving the adjustment of technical specifications of fishing boats, increasing the investment cost of building boats for defendant Nguyen Van Hung.
On November 4, 2020, defendant Tran Van Cuong continued to sign document No. 339/TTr-SNN, requesting the Provincial People's Committee to approve technical adjustments to shipbuilding in Decision No. 1885 and 2821/QD-UBND for the ships of defendants Nguyen The Hung and Nguyen Van Hung.
On December 22, 2020, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 3840/QD-UBND, 3841/QD-UBND approving the adjustment of technical specifications of the new fishing vessel of the accused Dang The Hung and Nguyen Van Hung.
Regarding the 3 composite-hulled fishing vessels, on November 4, 2020, defendant Tran Van Cuong, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, signed document No. 338/TTr-SNN-CCTS requesting the Provincial People's Committee to approve support for defendant Tran Van Tai's fishing vessel.
On December 4, 2020, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van Tho signed and issued Decision No. 3620/QD-UBND approving one-time post-investment support according to Decree 17 for defendant Tran Van Tai in the amount of more than 6.5 billion. By December 21, 2020, defendant Tai received the entire amount of support.
Previously, on November 8, 2020, defendant Tran Van Cuong also signed document No. 362/TTr-SNN-CCTS requesting the Provincial People's Committee to approve support for defendants Hieu and Sang.
On December 22, 2020, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee signed and issued Decision No. 3834/QD-UBND, No. 3835/QD-UBND approving one-time support under Decree 17 for defendant Nguyen Van Hieu in the amount of more than 6.5 billion and support for Nguyen Van Sang in the amount of more than 6.5 billion. On December 30, 2020, Hieu received the full amount of support. On January 18, 2021, Sang received the full amount of support.
On January 4, 2021, Tran Van Cuong continued to sign the document No. 1/TTr-SNN-CCTS requesting the Provincial People's Committee to approve support for 2 steel-hulled fishing boats. On January 19, 2021, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee signed and issued Decision No. 125/QD-UBND, 126/QD-UBND approving one-time post-investment support according to Decree 17 for Nguyen Van Hung and Dang The Hung, each of whom was more than 7.5 billion.
Regarding the violations in the payment of fishing vessel support, causing a loss of 34.6 billion VND to the State budget, the Investigation Police Agency determined that the 5 fishing vessels owned by Tran Van Tai, Nguyen Van Hieu, Nguyen Van Sang, Nguyen Van Hung and Dang The Hung were both evidence of the case and valuable assets to ensure compensation for damages. Therefore, the Investigation Police Agency ordered the seizure of the assets of the 5 fishing vessels, handing them over to the families of the accused and the shipbuilding company for safekeeping at the shipbuilding facilities.
According to the Investigation Agency, 13 defendants involved in the case include: Tran Van Cuong (former Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development); Nguyen Duc Hoang (Deputy Head of the Department of Fisheries, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development); Dinh Cao Thuong (Head of the Department of Fisheries Management and Fisheries Logistics Services); Dao Hong Duc (Director of the Fishing Vessel Inspection Center); Nguyen Vu Ha (Head of the Inspection Department); Nguyen Quoc Cong (Inspector); Le Minh Xuan (Director of Tan Trung Thinh Trading and Investment Company Limited); Tran Van Tai, Nguyen Van Hieu, Nguyen Van Sang, Nguyen Van Hung, Dang The Hung (all ship owners).
The investigation concluded that in 2018, the Government issued Decree 17/2018 on a number of policies for fisheries development, including a one-time post-investment support policy. To implement this policy, the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province created conditions for ship owners who are eligible to build new composite-hulled fishing vessels to enjoy support policies.
Le Minh Xuan, Director of Tan Trung Thinh Trading and Investment Company Limited, is the mastermind, knowing that the 5 fishing boats owned by Tran Van Tai, Nguyen Van Hieu, Nguyen Van Sang, Nguyen Van Hung, and Dang The Hung have not been completed, are not eligible for a fishing vessel technical safety certificate, a fishing vessel registration certificate, a fishing license, and especially are not eligible for the one-time post-investment support policy according to Decree 17.
However, defendant Xuan created false documents and vouchers to purchase 19 invoices, declared inflated prices of ship hulls, and inflated volumes and prices of machinery, materials, and equipment. With the above actions, defendant Xuan and 5 ship owners appropriated 34.6 billion VND from the State budget, of which Xuan appropriated more than 12.6 billion VND.
Luong Y
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