Vietnam deputy health minister arrested on bribery charge

The decision to prosecute and detain Thuan on a charge of accepting bribes under Clause 4, Article 354 of the Penal Code was carried out on Wednesday.

The move marks the latest development in an investigation into alleged accounting violations and smuggling involving Viet My Medical Investment JSC and related organizations and localities.

Police are continuing to investigate the scale of the case and the roles of the defendants and other individuals involved, while seeking to recover state assets.

The case surfaced publicly on July 25, when investigators prosecuted and detained Bui Chan Phuong, former chairman of Viet My Medical Investment JSC; Ha Van Nam, the company’s director; and Tran Thi Hong Hanh, who was in charge of its accounting operations.

They were accused of smuggling and violating accounting regulations causing serious consequences.

Investigators said Phuong had established and operated three companies in Vietnam, as well as five companies in Singapore and three in Hong Kong.

The overseas companies were allegedly used to repeatedly buy and resell medical equipment and pharmaceutical products, inflating their prices before the goods were imported into Vietnam and sold to healthcare facilities at much higher prices.

The scheme allegedly generated substantial illicit profits, caused losses to the state budget and harmed patients’ interests.

Investigators also alleged that the suspects misused medical equipment import licenses issued by the Ministry of Health, falsely declaring additional devices as accompanying equipment in order to bring them into Vietnam illegally.