HCMC – Ministry of Public Security investigators have detained the director of a local firm for his alleged involvement in the Covid repatriation flight scandal.

Lieutenant General To An Xo, office chief and spokesperson of the ministry, said last evening, October 28, that the police pressed charges against Tran Hong Ha, director of Sao Viet International Commercial and Human Resources Supplying Co., Ltd., as the 50-year-old man was accused of giving bribes. With the latest arrest, the total number of people taken into police custody has risen to over 20, including many officials and State employees at the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Transport and the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security. A few days ago, the investigators also arrested Tao Duc Hiep and Le Thi Ngoc Anh for their alleged involvement in the bribery scandal. Hiep, former director of the Vietnam Railways Trade Union Tourist Co., Ltd., was charged with giving bribes. As for Anh, a staff member of the Guest Houses Division at the Protocol Department at the Party Central Committee’s External Relations Commission, she was charged with fraud and appropriation of assets. In late January this year, the investigative agency launched an investigation into allegations of taking and giving bribes and committing fraud to appropriate assets at the aforesaid ministries and other units. Up to now, the highest-ranking official involved in the case is To Anh Dung, 58, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was accused of taking bribes.