Vietnam arrests ex-police official for alleged abuse of power in US$54 million gambling ring
The criminal enterprise had operated from April 2015 until it was broken up in August last year with some US$670 million having been gambled online
A former top police official in Vietnam was arrested Friday on suspicion of involvement in a multimillion-dollar international gambling ring, part of the ruling Communist Party’s crackdown on corruption.
The Ministry of Public Security said on its website the arrest warrant was issued for Phan Van Vinh for abuse of power while doing official duty as part of an investigation into gambling and money laundering.
Vinh, 62, was the head of the General Department of Police Force before retiring last year. The president stripped Vinh’s “people’s police” title earlier Friday.
Last month, police arrested Nguyen Thanh Hoa, former head of a national police department tasked with fighting hi-tech crimes, for allegedly organising gambling in the case.
The ministry said earlier that 31 people have been arrested in the case so far and police have seized cash and other assets worth US$54 million.
