HCMC cops nabbed for taking bribes, releasing drug dealers

Pham Thanh Tuan, former head of the Phu Tho Hoa Ward police department in Tan Phu District, Le Van Quy and Le Van Hoa, both former deputy heads of the department, Nguyen Dang Chien, Nguyen Duc Hien, and two other officers were arrested for the alleged abuse of power or position in performance of official duties, HCMC authorities stated Thursday.

The arrests came several months after HCMC launched a probe into Phu Tho Hoa officers allegedly receiving bribes to change the criminal allegations against several drug dealers.

In December last year, an unidentified man detained by Phu Tho Hoa police for illegally storing narcotics requested his release in exchange for a bribe. A relative of the suspect had subsequently delivered VND140 million ($6,040) and two gold maces worth around VND10 million to the station, HCMC police revealed.

About three months prior, another man caught with several kinds of drugs in his possession allegedly also bribed the Phu Tho Hoa officers, paying them about VND100 million to be released.