Charges sought against 38 for stealing coal

Police in the northern province of Quang Ninh have asked prosecutors to press charges against 38 people for stealing tens of thousands of tons of coal worth over VND16.6 billion (US$805,825) last year.

Among the accused are five senior management officials and two guards of the state-owned Mao Khe Coal Company, where the theft took place.

According to police, Le Khac Hung and Pham Duy Nghia, who were in charge of security at the company’s mining site, opened doors for the thieves to take away over 28,000 tons coal with trucks and equipment during a week last February.

Hung said that in return he received VND110 million ($5,339).

The senior officials, meanwhile, are were lax in their management, letting illegal mining continue even though they were aware of it earlier, police said.

They will probably face charges of “deliberately violating economic management regulations,” police said.

Reported by Thai Son

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