HCMC – Tran Buu Tung, 64, director of the 50-19D auto inspection and registration center in HCMC’s Binh Tan District, has been detained for allegedly taking bribes.
The Binh Tan District police yesterday, December 30, pressed the same charges against Nguyen Huynh Phong, deputy director of the center, and three auto inspectors, namely Nguyen Quynh Tuan, Nguyen Van Cuong and Tran Minh Hieu. In addition, Nguyen Tan Thanh was accused of giving bribes, the local media reported.
The arrests came after the Binh Tan District police teamed up with the HCMC police to expand a probe into bribe brokering, giving and taking and falsification of documents found at multiple vehicle inspection centers in HCMC and other provinces.
Earlier, the police had prosecuted 43 suspects and searched 13 auto inspection centers, whose violations were unearthed after the HCMC police discovered lots of vehicles failed to meet technical safety standards but were still certified as meeting standards on technical safety and environmental protection.
Investigation results from the police showed that a host of auto inspection centers had allegedly received bribes to overlook failures of around 70,000 autos to meet technical standards and make illicit gains of nearly VND10 billion.
The 50-19D auto inspection center is operated by Phu An Vien Joint Stock Company, headquartered on Tran Hung Dao Street, District 5.
