Lộc Thị Hồng, the head of the Tax Department in Lạng Sơn, has been arrested for her involvement in a corruption case that allowed a company to fraudulently claim 200 billion VND in tax refunds. The arrest was made by the provincial police following allegations that Hồng accepted bribes totaling 550 million VND to assist the director of Golden Sun Company in the fraudulent scheme.

According to the police, Hồng, 56, who previously served as the head of tax declaration and accounting, was taken into custody as part of a broader investigation into corruption within state management. Alongside her arrest, Đỗ Kim Nhung, 47, an accountant at Golden Sun, was also arrested for facilitating the bribery. Hứa Thúy Hằng, the director of Golden Sun, is currently under investigation for fraud related to the tax refund claims.

The investigation revealed that in November 2020, Nhung introduced Hằng to Hồng at Hồng's residence. Hằng requested Hồng's assistance in securing the fraudulent tax refunds, which amounted to nearly 200 billion VND. Between November 2020 and May 2021, Hằng reportedly paid Hồng five bribes totaling 550 million VND.

The police acted on orders from Colonel Vũ Thanh Tùng, the provincial police chief, to intensify efforts against individuals and organizations violating laws in state management. During searches of Hồng's and Nhung's residences and workplaces, authorities seized all relevant documents related to Golden Sun's tax refund claims and recovered the entire amount of bribes exchanged. The investigation is ongoing, with efforts to fully recover the bribed funds.