(Bloomberg) -- Vietnamese police detained five people including a former deputy environment minister for alleged loss of state assets tied to a probe of illegal mining of rare earth ore.
Former deputy minister Nguyen Linh Ngoc and the others are also accused of allegedly violating rules on management, according to a statement on the government’s website.
The detentions are part of an investigation of Thai Duong Group, it said. Police in October said they were probing officials of the company for violating regulations on exploring and exploitation of natural resources.
Representatives of Thai Duong Group and Ngoc were not immediately available for comment.
Two former officials from the Vietnam General Department of Geology and Minerals and two officials with Yen Bai province’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment were also detained, the posting said. Police are expanding the investigation, it said.
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