On 29/7, Le Tuan Anh, former An Phu Ward Police Chief, was tried in absentia by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court as he was a fugitive. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison for abuse of power while performing official duties.
In connection with the case, Phan Phi Hung and Nguyen Thanh Tu, both former An Phu ward police officers, were sentenced to 6 years in prison. Vo Ha Hoai Phuong, a former civil defense guard, received 5 years in prison for the same crime.
According to the trial panel, Le Tuan Anh played the mastermind role in the case, colluding closely with the other defendants to commit the crimes. This negatively affected the operations of state agencies and public trust, thus requiring severe punishment.
From bar raid to 'price negotiation' with drug users
According to the indictment, in the early morning of 6/7/2025, Ho Chi Minh City Police inspected the Six T Club bar in Viet Sing residential area, An Phu ward (Thuan An City, Binh Duong province). They discovered many customers using illegal drugs. All 251 customers and staff were taken to the station for questioning.
Subsequently, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigation Agency initiated criminal proceedings against 139 individuals for illegal drug trafficking, organizing illegal drug use, illegal drug possession, and harboring illegal drug use.
Separately, 33 individuals who tested positive for drugs were handed over to An Phu Ward Police for handling within their jurisdiction. Among these, two individuals were processed for mandatory rehabilitation, while the remaining 31 cases received administrative sanctions.
The indictment states that during the processing of these cases, Le Tuan Anh, along with Nguyen Thanh Tu, Phan Phi Hung, and Vo Ha Hoai Phuong, abused their positions and authority to demand money from violators or their relatives. This was done to secure early release or avoid mandatory rehabilitation.
Fled after receiving money from two violators
According to the case file, Vo Ha Hoai Phuong, despite having resigned as a civil defense guard, regularly visited the An Phu Ward Police station to assist with paperwork.
In the early morning of 24/7/2025, while Ho Thi Quynh Nhu was in temporary detention, Phuong demanded 50 million dong for her release. Unable to pay the full amount, Nhu requested a reduction to 40 million dong and borrowed a phone to call her family for the money.
Three days later, Phuong informed Nhu that she was subject to mandatory rehabilitation. Knowing Nhu was pregnant, Phuong instructed her to get a medical examination to supplement her file. After the pregnancy test results were available, Phan Phi Hung then asked Nhu if she could "arrange" 100 million dong. Nhu stated her family could only prepare 40 million dong.
On the morning of 27/7/2025, Nhu's brother brought 40 million dong. Phuong received the money and placed it in a desk drawer for Hung. Hung then prepared the administrative sanction documents and passed them to Nguyen Thanh Tu for processing. That evening, Nhu was released.
Tu kept 15 million dong for the fine and Nhu's pregnancy examination costs. The remaining 25 million dong, along with the case file, was brought to Le Tuan Anh's office. Tuan Anh gave Tu 5 million dong back; Tu then split 2,5 million dong with Hung and kept 2,5 million dong for himself. Tuan Anh also instructed his subordinates to thoroughly prepare Nhu's file to avoid detection of wrongdoing.
In Tran Duy Hiep's case, Le Tuan Anh allowed his family to meet him in the office. Initially, Hiep's wife offered 20 million dong for her husband's early release, but this was not accepted.
According to the indictment, Tuan Anh demanded an additional 50 million dong. After borrowing money, Hiep's wife delivered this sum. In total, Tuan Anh received 70 million dong from Hiep's family.
During the investigation, Le Tuan Anh fled, leading the investigating agency to issue an arrest warrant. The remaining defendants and other related individuals admitted to the actions detailed in the indictment.
Binh Nguyen
