Tourism firm director arrested over bribery in repatriation flights

Nguyen Dieu Mo, 42, general director of the An Binh Air Services and Tourism Trading Company Limited in Hanoi, was arrested due over allegations she had paid bribes, To An Xo, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security, said Friday.

The arrest was part of an ongoing investigation of bribery accusations regarding the organization of flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Xo said.

In January, general director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Consular Department, Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, and three other ministry officials were arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes.

They were suspected of "seeking personal gain" in licensing some companies to organize flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home. More specific information about the case has not been released by the authorities.

Since the Covid-19 outbreak began, Vietnam has organized around 400 flights to bring home more than 70,000 citizens from more than 60 countries and territories, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Some had to buy very expensive tickets to board such flights and complete complicated procedures.