Former head of vehicle registration agency arrested for 'taking bribes'

Tran Ky Hinh, former director of Vietnam Register, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly accepting bribes from many vehicle registration centers.

Hinh, 62, a Hanoi resident, was detained by Ho Chi Minh City police. The move is part of an expanded investigation into violations at Vietnam Register and a series of vehicle registration centers across the country.

On January 11, director of the Vietnam Register Dang Viet Ha was detained for further investigation into the alleged act of taking bribes. Earlier, on January 5, the police had detained three subordinates of Ha on the same charge.

The investigative agency determined that from 2014 to August 2021, Hinh, as director of Vietnam Register, received bribes from directors of some vehicle registration centers via Tran Anh Quan.

For instance, he issued certificates of eligibility for vehicle registration services even though some centers were not yet qualified.

In addition, Hinh showed loose management, lacked inspection and supervision, and directly received bribes (monthly or quarterly) from directors of some vehicle registration centers in order to issue registration certificates for motor vehicles that did not meet technical safety and environmental protection standards.

City police have searched 13 registration centers including five in the provinces of Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Dong Thap, and Soc Trang and eight in HCMC, seizing many related objects and documents.

The investigative agency has also searched the workplace and residence of 84 defendants for the crimes of giving, accepting and brokering bribes and forgery at work. Of these, 80 are directors, deputy directors and employees of registration centers and brokers.

Currently, more than 20 registration centers in the country have been suspended to serve the investigation.