After 3 days of trial, on the afternoon of August 30, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court announced the first instance verdict for 24 defendants in the case of illegal sand mining on Con Ngua beach, Can Gio district, Ho Chi Minh City. Lying that he would be able to get the sentence for the group of "sand bandits", defendant Trinh Van Hung (former officer of the Logistics Department - Ministry of Public Security) was sentenced to 9 years in prison.

According to the verdict, from February 2022 to May 6, 2022, defendant Truong Van Chinh (38 years old, from Hai Duong) organized and operated an illegal mining line in the Con Ngua sea area (Can Gio district, Ho Chi Minh City). Late on May 5, 2022, the inspection team of Water Division II, Traffic Police Department, Ministry of Public Security (C08), together with functional forces discovered 13 captains and 55 crew members on 12 ships illegally dredging sand.

After the ship was seized, Chinh discussed with defendant Truong Van Thang to find someone to bribe him so that he would only be administratively fined and not have his vehicle confiscated. Thang then asked Bui Van Cuong to help. Cuong contacted Trinh Van Hung (former officer of the Logistics Department, Ministry of Public Security) to help him handle the case. Defendant Hung agreed and "offered a price" of 3 billion VND.

Truong Van Chinh transferred 3 billion VND to Thang through the account of Bui Van Ban (Chinh's nephew). Then, Thang transferred 500 million VND to Bui Van Cuong. After receiving the money, Cuong transferred 400 million VND to Trinh Van Hung, keeping 100 million VND.

The trial panel determined that, based on the case file and the testimonies of the people involved, there was sufficient basis to determine that Hung did not know or have the ability to meet the person with authority to resolve the above matter, but still promised to find a way to bribe the ships to only be administratively handled and receive 400 million VND.

Although defendant Hung asked for a reduced sentence, he did not admit to the crime, so the mitigating circumstance of honest confession was not applied.

The court sentenced defendant Truong Van Chinh to 18 years in prison for "Violating regulations on resource exploitation" and "Giving bribes". As for the defendants who are ship owners, the panel of judges found that these were the ones who directly committed the acts, but were essentially hired workers, did not benefit, and had limited roles, so the punishment was lighter.

The remaining defendants in the case were sentenced to terms ranging from three years' suspended sentence to 16 years in prison.

COMMON