Former police officers attend the trial in HCM City on Monday. — Photo courtesy of the police

HCM CITY— A Vietnamese court on Monday began the trial of 12 former police officers accused of falsifying official records to help drug users avoid compulsory rehabilitation.

The defendants appeared before the HCM City People’s Court on charges, including abuse of power, bribery and brokering bribery, according to the indictment.

Among those on trial are Phạm Trần Ngọc Thanh, a former ward-level officer in HCM City, and Nguyễn Võ Anh Vũ, a former police chief in central Đà Nẵng.

Prosecutors allege the pair orchestrated a scheme to fabricate residency documents for drug users, allowing them to avoid being sent to state-run rehabilitation centres.

Four of Vũ’s former subordinates and another commune-level police chief in southern Long An Province face similar charges.

Other defendants are accused of taking or arranging bribes, as well as fraud.

Most of the accused are out on bail. The trial is expected to last two days.

According to prosecutors, the scheme involved creating false documentation showing that drug users had stable residence in other localities, a key factor used by authorities when deciding whether to impose compulsory rehabilitation.

In one case in May 2023, Thanh allegedly forged a petition on behalf of a detainee’s family and sent it to Vũ, who then instructed subordinates to certify that the individual was living in a commune in Đà Nẵng, despite knowing this was untrue.

Investigators said officers also accessed the national residency database to input or confirm false information when verification requests were sent by police in HCM City.

Authorities said at least five drug users benefited from the scheme between mid-2023 and early 2024.

While the two main defendants denied receiving direct financial gain, investigators said families paid between VNĐ70 million and VNĐ80 million (US$2,700–3,100) to intermediaries to secure the falsified documents.

Some officers admitted they knew their actions were illegal but said they were following orders from superiors.

Prosecutors said the alleged conduct undermined the integrity of state institutions and could have negative impacts on public order.

The case was uncovered by HCM City Police during a review of files involving cancelled rehabilitation decisions, which found signs of collusion between police officers and outside actors to manipulate records. — VNS