Illegal ore mining lands former Lao Cai chairmen in the soup

Nguyen Thanh Duong and Le Ngoc Hung, former Lao Cai vice chairmen, were arrested Thursday on charges related to illegal apatite ore mining in the northern province.

Police detained Duong, 63, and Hung, 62, for further investigation on “abuse of position and power while performing official duties”.

On the same charges, police detained Mai Dinh Dinh, 61, former director of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment; and Phan Van Cuong, 60, deputy director of the Department of Industry and Trade.

Nguyen Van Binh, 62, former board member of Apatit Vietnam One Member Co., Ltd., was prosecuted and banned from leaving his residence.

This is a new development in an expanded police investigation into illegal apatite ore mining conducted by the companies Lilama and Vietnam Apatite.

In 2009, Lao Cai Provincial People’s Committee allowed Lilama to implement a hotel and restaurant project in Dong Tuyen commune, Lao Cai town on an area of 3.77 hectares. Upon land allocation, company leaders conducted illegal apatite mining activities, causing a loss to the state budget.

In 2017, the Government Inspector concluded the 3.77 hectares the local Department of Construction had introduced to the investors were not in line with Lao Cai’s land utility plan, and that the people’s committee had violated the Mineral Law by allowing the investors to illegally mine for apatite ore.

Previously, police had prosecuted several leaders of Apatit Vietnam and Lilama for violating regulations on research, exploration, and exploitation of natural resources, according to Article 227 of the Penal Code.