On 6/2, Truong Thi Hong was prosecuted and detained by the Ho Chi Minh City Police's Economic Police Department for illegally issuing and trading invoices.

Truong Thi Hong at the investigation agency. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Police

Previously, the Economic Police Department discovered groups collecting scrap metal in the former Binh Duong province, now part of Ho Chi Minh City, for sale to steel companies.

Lacking input invoices, these groups established about 70 legal entities to legitimize their goods. They illegally purchased invoices from 50 shell companies operated by Pham Thi Anh. The network led by Truong Thi Hong issued thousands of fake invoices, totaling thousands of billions of dong.

Police determined that from 9/2025 to 11/2025, Hong operated through Hoang Minh Phat Steel Trading Co., Ltd. in Can Tho. She hired Ha Duc Anh as director, paying him 10 million Vietnam dong monthly.

To acquire input documentation for scrap metal bought informally from individuals, Hong purchased hundreds of value-added tax invoices from Pham Thi Anh's shell companies, including: Van An Phat Company and Tien Long Company. These invoices totaled over 33,8 billion Vietnam dong.

After legitimizing the records, Hong sold a large volume of invoices and goods to VAS An Hung Tuong Steel Co., Ltd., located in the former Binh Duong province. This allowed the company to declare and report taxes, with the total value of goods and tax exceeding 34 billion Vietnam dong.

Investigators accuse Hong of illicitly profiting hundreds of millions of Vietnam dong from these transactions. Police have since recovered the illicit profits and numerous related documents and evidence.

The Economic Police Department continues to expand its investigation into the case, aiming to clarify the roles of individuals and entities involved in the tax evasion and illegal invoice trading network.

Quoc Thang