Vietnamese authorities detained four officials, including Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung, on bribery allegations tied to export certification procedures for durian shipments to China. The detentions follow an expanding anti-corruption investigation focused on illicit sub-licenses and state budget losses within the agricultural sector.
Deputy Agriculture Minister and Key Officials Detained in Corruption Sweep
Vietnamese police detained four individuals on allegations of accepting bribes, marking a sharp escalation in an ongoing corruption investigation linked to durian exports. Among those taken into custody is Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung, who is accused of abusing his position to issue illegal policies.
State media reported that Trung was expelled from the Communist Party. Police also detained two additional agricultural ministry officials on accusations of falsifying official documents.
Impact on Durian Growers and State Finances
The alleged administrative breaches have triggered severe economic and reputational fallout for Vietnam’s agricultural economy. Public security officials stated that the actions caused serious damage
to the legitimate rights and interests of durian growers and export businesses.
The violations resulted in exceptionally large losses to the state budget while negatively impacting the broader reputation of the Vietnamese agricultural sector. Investigators noted that certification procedures for shipments heading abroad remain at the center of the inquiry.
Certification Scrutiny and the China Export Market
The expanding probe centers on certification procedures managed by the Center for Testing, Certification and Quality Services under the agriculture ministry, alongside private entities NhoNho Technology Co. and Thuy Fruit Co. Representatives from the ministry and the two companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The arrests follow prior enforcement actions in the same inquiry.
The enforcement sweep comes as Vietnam seeks to protect its access to the Chinese market, which stands as the country’s largest destination for durian exports. Trade data shows that between 2021 and 2025, Vietnam exported more than three million tonnes of fresh durian and nearly 190,000 tonnes of frozen durian. China accounted for over 95% of that total export volume, placing intense regulatory and phytosanitary scrutiny on the supply chain.
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