The Ministry of Public Security's Investigation police have arrested the former chief accountant of Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) Nguyen Thi Bich Loan.
He will face trial together with six others allegedly involved in the same crime. They include Le Van Duong from the registry office; Tran Hai Son, the former director of Vinalines Ship Repairing Company; Mai Van Khang, an official with Vinalines project-management board – and others from Tan Phong Customs Office in southern Khanh Hoa Province.
They will all be prosecuted for alleged violations related to an 83-metre-long floating dock project. The dock was bought at a cost of $14.13 million, but this later skyrocketed to $24.3 million.
Originally built in 1965, it did not meet licensing or registration requirements and has not been used for the past four years.
Police estimated that Vinalines spent at least VND480 billion ($22 million) to acquire, transport and repair the dock without receiving approval from the Ministry of Transport or the Prime Minister.
On May 17, investigating police decided to arrest and prosecute the head of the Viet Nam Maritime Administration and former Vinalines chairman Duong Chi Dung; former Vinalines general manager Mai Van Phuc and former deputy general manager of Vinalines Tran Huu Chieu.
Dung has disappeared. Interpol has begun a search for him.