On June 10th, according to the Traffic Police Department (TPD) of the Ministry of Public Security, the Investigative Police Agency of Ha Tinh provincial Public Security initiated legal proceedings and detained Nguyen Van Binh (born in 1980, residing in Dong Tho ward, Thanh Hoa city, Thanh Hoa province) on charges of “Illegal Invoice Trading.”
Sand dredging boat seized by authorities. Photo: TPD
Trinh Thi Dung (born in 1984, residing in Vinh Yen commune, Vinh Loc district, Thanh Hoa province) and Nguyen Nhu Anh (born in 1981, residing in Hoan Lao town, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province) were also indicted for the same offense and are subject to residence prohibition orders. The accused are implicated in illegal sand mining, trading, and transportation activities along the Lam River in Ha Tinh and Nghe An provinces.
Previously, the Division for Guidance of Patrol and Crime Prevention on Waterways (TPD) uncovered a large-scale, well-organized syndicate involved in illegal sand mining, trading, and transportation along the Lam River. This syndicate operated through multiple satellite companies to disguise their illicit activities.
After meticulous surveillance and evidence gathering, on March 23rd, TPD’s Division for Guidance of Patrol and Crime Prevention on Waterways, in collaboration with the Ha Tinh Provincial Economic Police and the Ha Tinh Traffic Police, intercepted and detained five vessels equipped with sand suction devices and apprehended 11 individuals directly involved in the operation, along with 12 crew members.
The investigation revealed that in 2024, Quang Binh 68 Construction Consulting and Investment JSC (based in Quang Binh province) and Quang Ninh Construction Investment Consulting JSC (based in Quang Ninh province) contracted to undertake land filling works for a project in Vinh city, Nghe An province, undertaken by Vietnam-Laos Economic Cooperation Joint Stock Company.
To procure sand for the project, the two companies contacted Nguyen Cong Tung Lam (born in 1989, residing in Ben Thuy ward, Vinh city, Nghe An province) as a sand supplier.
Lam sourced sand from licensed mines along the Lam River in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces. He hired boats equipped with suction devices, including some intercepted on March 23rd, to extract sand from mines operated by Asia Construction Consulting JSC (Ha Tinh) and Hung Lam Cooperative (Nghe An), and then transported and sold it to the contractors at VND 110,000 per cubic meter.
As the sand purchases from Lam lacked official invoices, the two construction companies approached Nguyen Van Binh to procure fake invoices for tax evasion purposes.
From August 2024 to March 2025, Nguyen Van Binh colluded with Trinh Thi Dung, who chaired the board of An Dai Phat 68 Investment and Development JSC. They issued 30 fake invoices to the two construction companies, earning illicit profits of over VND 5 billion.
The Tax Authority Warns Against the Practice of “Cash-Only” Businesses: A Red Flag for Potential Legal Violations.
“The practice of displaying signs that say ‘cash only’ or providing vague transfer instructions such as ‘repaying borrowed money’, ‘coffee money’, or ‘delivery fee’ can create challenges for authorities in verifying revenue and assessing accurate tax liabilities. While businesses may engage in this behavior to potentially reduce their tax obligations, it can also raise suspicions of intentional revenue concealment.”
Uncovering a $15 Million Fake Invoice Scam: A Skillful Operation Brought to Light
This is a large-scale illegal invoice trading ring, involving multiple businesses in the field of labor supply. The network is sophisticated and far-reaching, with a complex web of connections between companies. The scheme involves the fraudulent trading of invoices, with a significant impact on the economy and the potential for widespread fraud.
The Online Entrepreneur: A Tale of Triumph and Turmoil
A female online business owner in Vung Tau City has been charged with two offenses for evading taxes on her earnings of over VND 27 billion.
Charged with Tax Evasion: Online Business Accused of Generating $27 Million in Revenue but Failing to Pay Taxes
“Ms. L.T.A.T, a resident of Vung Tau city in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, has been importing goods from Thailand to Vietnam and selling them on e-commerce platforms and social media sites such as Facebook and TikTok. From the beginning of 2023 to May 2025, Ms. T. has amassed a revenue of over 27 billion VND, but has failed to comply with any tax declaration and payment obligations to the state.”
Maximizing Online Business Tax Revenue: A Robust Strategy
The tax authorities have been scrutinizing and collecting data on e-commerce business operators, warning of strict action against tax evasion and non-compliance. In the first four months of the year, tax revenues from organizations and individuals engaged in this sector amounted to VND 42.6 trillion.
