On the evening of 7/9, in connection with the case of Nguyen Van Mai (aka Manh "Go"), the Thanh Hoa Provincial Police Investigation Agency prosecuted and detained 10 suspects for investigation of bribery, bribery brokerage, and bribe acceptance. Among them are four forest rangers.

Police take Manh "Go"'s statement. Photo: Lam Son

In early 2023, the group of defendants Le Dinh Trinh (44), Vu Ngoc Doi (53), and Le Quang Vinh (42) pooled their capital to trade samu wood from Laos to Vietnam. This type of wood is classified as rare and is prohibited from trade and sale in Vietnam.

Authorities allege that to smuggle the precious wood from Laos into Vietnam, the three men met with Manh "Go" and asked him to bribe officials at the forest ranger stations.

Manh "Go" agreed with Trinh to contact his nephew, Tran Van Quang, to inform him of the date and time the wood shipments would pass through the ranger stations and to set the bribe amount for each vehicle. During the operation, Trinh transferred a total of 3.2 billion VND to Quang.

Manh "Go" is accused of directing Quang to repeatedly bribe Pham Van Bien, head of the Tan Thanh Forest Ranger Station under the Thuong Xuan Forest Ranger District, to allow Trinh's wood shipments to pass through multiple checkpoints.

Manh "Go" (in black) and the suspects in the wood smuggling case. Photo: Lam Son

Police determined that during his timber trading, Manh "Go" also met with Nguyen Huu Hau, head of the Quan Son Forest Ranger District in Thanh Hoa Province, to discuss "facilitating" the passage of his and his acquaintances' wood shipments through the station.

Hau then instructed his subordinates, Nguyen Huu Hai, head of the Na Meo Forest Ranger Station under the Quan Son District Forest Ranger Department, and Duong Dinh Son, an officer at the station, to allow any vehicles reported by Manh to pass without inspection.

Duong Dinh Son is also accused of accepting bribes from another individual to protect smuggled wood shipments across the border. The specific amount has not been disclosed.

On the afternoon of 6/9, a large force of criminal and mobile police were deployed to blockade and search Manh "Go"'s villa on Le Loi Street, Hac Thanh Ward. This is the second time in two months that Manh "Go"'s home has been searched, following the first raid on 9/7.

Police say Manh "Go" was both an advisor and a close associate of gangster boss Nguyen Van Vi (aka Vi "Ngo") – who was arrested on 30/6.

Police search Manh "Go"'s home on the afternoon of 6/9. Photo: Lam Son

Manh "Go" has been known as a gangster boss in Thanh Hoa for decades but has kept a relatively low profile. His nickname, Manh "Go" (Go means wood), comes from his previous involvement in the timber trade from Laos across the border of Thanh Hoa province. He has recently expanded his operations into the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and gas business.

According to the investigative agency, clarifying Manh "Go"'s violations is part of the investigation into Manh Tung Petro Liquefied Petroleum Gas Joint Stock Company, headquartered at 55 Le Hoan, Hac Thanh Ward, Thanh Hoa Province.

Authorities allege that during its production and business operations, the company omitted over 33 billion VND in revenue from its accounting books, indicating potential tax evasion of tens of billions of VND. The company is also accused of forging numerous value-added tax invoices and creating "ghost" transactions to legitimize documents and procedures for tax evasion.

Vi "Ngo" was a founding shareholder and played a key role in Manh Tung Petro's activities. In connection with the case, in addition to Vi "Ngo" being charged with violating accounting regulations with serious consequences, authorities also prosecuted and detained Nguyen Huy Tung (Manh "Go"'s son), Dao Manh Linh, and Le Thi Tinh on the same charges.

Le Hoang