The trial of 74 people accused of running a US$130 million petrol smuggling ring has gotten underway at the People's Court of Dong Nai Province.
The trial of 74 people accused of running a US$130 million petrol smuggling ring has gotten underway at the People's Court of Dong Nai Province.
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| Defendants in the petroleum smuggling case stand on trial on Tuesday. VNA/VNS Photo |
It is expected to last between 45 and 60 days and will hear testimonies from 43 witnesses.
Due to the large number of participants in the proceedings, the trial is taking place at the Dong Nai Province’s Conference Centre.
The panel is chaired by Judge Nguyen Van Thanh, Chief of Criminal Court of Dong Nai Province People's Court. On behalf of the provincial People's Procuratorate, there was Procurator Doan Cao Son, who took charge of the prosecution with lawyers Nguyen Phuoc Vinh, Nguyen Chinh Tam and Dao Thi Quynh Giang.
The defendants were escorted to the courtroom at 7am. A number of other defendants who were released on bail were also summoned at the trial.
According to the indictment, Dao Ngoc Vien, 54, residing in HCM City’s Tân Bình District, Phan Thanh Huu, 65, in Binh Thanh District, and Phung Danh Thoai, former head of the Petroleum Office’s Logistics Department of the Coast Guard Command has a long-standing relationship.
In May, 2019, it is alleged that Vien and Huu asked Thoai to use his influence to help smuggle about 200 million litres of gasoline, worth VND53.4 billion (US$130 million), from Singapore to Viet Nam for consumption.
Huu was in charge of managing the money, finding customers and giving bribes to forces. Vien was responsible for carrying petroleum from Singapore to Việt Nam by vessels, and mobilising another vessel to transport petroleum to Nguyen Huu Tu, 56, in Can Tho City and Tran Thi Thanh Van, 54, in Binh Duong Province.
Tu and Van would later distribute the petroleum to petrol stations in many localities.
From March 2020 to February 2021, it is alleged that Vien profited illegally making more than VND46.7 billion ($1.87 million), Huu over VND156.2 billion ($6.2 million), Thoai over VND22 billion ($885,222), Tu nearly VND83 billion ($3.3 million), and Van VND18 billion ($724,270).
(Source:VNS)
