Vietnam police arrest suspect over illegal dumping of 500 tonnes of waste

The provincial economic police on Sunday pressed charges against Ho Van Kha, 36, from Ho Chi Minh City, for allegedly causing environmental pollution.

Investigators said that between May and July 2025, Kha collected 523 metric tons of ordinary solid waste from various sources and stockpiled it on rented land in Bao Vinh Ward, Dong Nai.

Authorities reported that Kha charged VND8 million (US$303) per truckload for disposal.

The waste was dumped directly on bare ground without cover or treatment, releasing foul odors and severely affecting the surrounding environment.

To avoid detection, Kha hired locals to use tractors to move the waste illegally to farmland in the province’s Xuan Bac Commune.

Police caught him during one of these dumping operations.

The investigation is ongoing, with police working to identify other individuals and organizations involved.

Authorities urged those who transferred waste to Kha to contact investigators for verification and legal processing.

This arrest follows another case announced last Saturday, when Dong Nai police detained Phan Van Loi, 40, and Pham Trong Nghia, 40, both from Ho Chi Minh City, for allegedly dumping 567 metric tons of cowhide scraps.

Investigators said Loi purchased more than 1,000 metric tons of cowhide waste from October to November 2024 but failed to sell it.

To avoid storage costs, he arranged with Nghia to locate vacant land for dumping the waste.

Nghia then rented a 4,000-square-meter plot in Loc Thanh Commune for VND15 million ($570) per month and transported the waste there.

Loi paid Nghia VND450,000 ($17) per ton for moving the materials.

The cowhide waste was left uncovered, decomposing and releasing strong odors that polluted water and the surrounding environment.