HÀ NỘI — The number of crimes dropped by nearly four per cent in the first six months of the year in comparison with the same period last year, reported the Ministry of Public Security at a press briefing in Hà Nội yesterday.

Police investigated 20,595 cases involving more than 42,700 suspects in the period.

This included 9,391 cases relating to economy and corruption, more than 2,000 cases of smuggling and more than 11,000 cases relating to drugs.

The ministry also claimed traffic safety and order was secure in the period, despite more than 4,100 deaths on the roads. The fatalities came from more than 9,500 traffic accidents nationwide, with 7,900 people injured.

The figures represent a drop of 4.66 per cent in the number of accidents, a paltry 2.85 per cent in the number of deaths and 14.4 per cent in the number of injured compared with the same period last year.

Journalist investigated for abuse of office

Regarding the decision of police in northern Yên Bái Province’s Yên Bái City to prosecute journalist Lê Duy Phong, who works for online Việt Nam Education, for abuse of office and appropriation of property, the ministry said that it had received a report from the city police.

According to the report, Phong, 32 years old and from central Thanh Hóa Province, met Director of Yên Bái Province’s Department of Planning and Investment Vũ Xuân Sáng on June 16. During the meeting, Phong presented evidence of violations relating to State management on planning and investment in Yên Bái and asked Sáng to transfer him VNĐ200 million (US$8,888) as hush money.

Sáng transferred the full amount to Phong in two installments that day. The case is under investigation.

The report said that Phong was caught red handed last Thursday receiving money from a business based in Yên Bái Province. Phong was detained pending further investigation.

The ministry will supervise the Yên Bái police investigation to ensure transparency and objectivity.

Đồng Tâm incident

Regarding the Đồng Tâm commune incident in Hà Nội’s Chương Mỹ District where several civil servants and police were held hostage by commune residents in April, Deputy Director of Hà Nội Police Bạch Thành Định said authorities have launched an investigation to determine whether the violations committed during the incident amounted to ‘illegal apprehension’ of people and ‘destruction of property’ under the existing Penal Code.

The residents were protesting what they considered was unjustified revoking of 50 hectares of land where they’d built homes and lived for many years.

Based on the findings, a final decision will be taken on whether to prosecute the accused.

The investigation was made to collect more related documents and evidence for handling in line with legal process, Định said.

Concerning violations in building steel fishing ships for farmers, Lieutenant General Đỗ Kim Tuyến, deputy head of the ministry’s General Department of Police, said authorities discovered 18 out of 557 ships built under Government Decree 67 on fisheries had quality problems and found two ship building businesses in central Bình Định Province violating shipbuilding contracts. The provincial authorities asked local police to investigate.

The department entrusted police of Bình Định to investigate the case and assist farmers to fix their vessels, he said. - VNS