CaliToday (11/9/2025): A company director in Vietnam's Mekong Delta province of An Giang has been formally prosecuted for orchestrating the illegal disposal of more than 270 tons of solid waste, an act that has caused severe environmental pollution, provincial police announced today.
The case highlights the growing intolerance of Vietnamese authorities towards environmental crimes, as the country intensifies its crackdown on illegal industrial activities that harm the ecosystem and public health.
According to the investigation report from the An Giang Provincial Police, the director, whose name has not been fully released pending further investigation, is accused of collecting a massive quantity of industrial solid waste and then deliberately dumping it at unauthorized sites directly into the environment. The actions were allegedly a deliberate effort to bypass legal and costly waste treatment and disposal procedures.
The scale of the violation totaling over 270 tons suggests a systematic and ongoing operation rather than an isolated incident. Authorities were alerted to the activity after local residents reported suspicious dumping and the subsequent degradation of the surrounding area.
The director has been officially charged under Vietnam’s Penal Code, specifically for "causing serious environmental pollution." Investigators have been working to collect evidence, assess the scope of the contamination, and document the damage to the local soil and water sources.
This prosecution sends a strong message to corporations and business leaders across the country. A representative from the An Giang Department of Natural Resources and Environment stated, "Environmental protection is not optional; it is a legal and moral obligation. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement to identify and strictly punish any individual or organization that flouts our environmental laws."
If convicted, the director faces severe penalties, which could include significant monetary fines and a potential prison sentence, in accordance with Vietnam's stringent environmental regulations.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to evaluate the full extent of the environmental damage and determine if other individuals or entities were complicit in the illegal dumping scheme. Local cleanup and remediation efforts are also being planned to mitigate the long-term impact of the pollution.
