Coast Guard top brass detained for embezzlement

The seven people arrested Monday by the Criminal Investigation Agency under the Ministry of National Defense are: Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Son, former Commander of Vietnam Coast Guard; Lieutenant General Hoang Van Dong, former Political Commissar of the Coast Guard; Major General Doan Bao Quyet, former Deputy Political Commissar of the Coast Guard; Major General Pham Kim Hau, former Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard; Major General Bui Trung Dung, former Deputy Commander of the Coast Guard; Colonel Nguyen Van Hung, Chairman Technical and Deputy Commander of the Coast Guard; and Colonel Bui Van Hoe, Deputy of the Finance Department of the Coast Guard Command.

All seven are being investigated for “embezzlement of property” under the national Penal Code. The investigation has been approved by the Central Military Procuracy.

Before the arrest, the Standing Board of the Party Committee of the Coast Guard for the 2015-2020 term had already been warned by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The Party Secretariat, in charge of the Communist Party’s personnel affairs, also dismissed Son, Dong, Quyet and Dung from all Party positions.

According to the Secretariat, the board had “seriously violated” the principle of democratic centralism and the principle of self-criticism, working regulations, and regulations of the Central Military Commission.

The violations have led to “degradation in political values, ethics, and lifestyles, causing serious consequences,” it said.

The board also displayed a lack of responsibility, loose leadership and laxity in inspection and supervision, allowing the High Command of the Coast Guard and subordinate units to violate the Party’s regulations, the State’s laws, and the regulations of the Ministry of National Defense.

The violations were detected in management and use of finance, implementation of capital construction investment projects, procurement of technical equipment, materials and goods and the fight against smuggling, causing very serious consequences.

Under national law, the Coast Guard is part of the People’s Armed Forces, a specialized force of the state that serves as the core law enforcement agency in maintaining national security, order and safety at sea.