Vietnamese Deputy Agriculture Minister Dismissed Over Bribery Allegations

Hoang Trung, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has been dismissed by the Prime Minister following his arrest on bribery charges. The administrative disciplinary measure against Mr. Trung was issued more than a month after he was expelled from the Communist Party by the Party Central Committee and detained by the Investigation Agency for Corruption, Economic Crimes, and Smuggling (C03). The disciplinary action against Hoang Trung is effective from July 31, 2026. Previously, on July 28, the Party Central Committee expelled Hoang Trung, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, from the Party due to his degradation in political ideology, morality, and lifestyle; violations of Party regulations, state laws, and regulations on what Party members are not allowed to do, and responsibilities to set an example. These violations were assessed as "causing very serious consequences, causing public outrage, and adversely affecting the prestige of Party organizations, localities, agencies, and working units." On the same day, the C03 arrested Hoang Trung on charges of receiving bribes. Also on the same charge, Nguyen Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department, was prosecuted and detained. Two defendants, Nguyen Thi Ha, Director of Sub-department of Plant Protection Region 7 under the Plant Protection Department, and Be Thi Thu Hien, Head of Huu Nghi Border Quarantine Station - Lang Son, were arrested for forging official documents. The C03 took these actions as part of an expanded investigation into a case related to durian export activities to China. The case occurred at the Center for Quality Control and Certification and Services, Nho Nho Technology Co., Ltd., Thuy Fruit One Member Limited Liability Company, and related units and individuals. According to the C03, Hoang Trung, while holding the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (now Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment), along with Nguyen Quang Hieu, allegedly abused their positions and powers to issue illegal policies, with signs of creating "backdoor permits" to serve group interests and illegally gain exceptionally large personal profits. The two are also accused of interfering and directing subordinates to issue fake inspection certificates and planting area codes; illegally buying and selling planting area codes and packing facility codes. The investigating agency believes that these violations have caused serious damage to the legitimate rights and interests of durian growers and exporters; resulted in exceptionally large losses to the state budget, and adversely affected the prestige and brand of Vietnamese agricultural products. Mr. Hoang Trung is 57 years old, from Yen Bai province, and holds a PhD. In June 2023, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. After the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development merged with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, he has held the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment since February 2025. Previously, he worked at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in various positions such as specialist, deputy head of department, head of the Plant Protection Department, deputy director, and director. Source: VnExpress