CaliToday (08/9/2025): Investigative authorities have confirmed the arrest of a reputed criminal kingpin known as Mạnh 'gỗ' (or 'Manh Timber'), a high-profile figure in Vietnam's illegal logging underworld. He is facing serious allegations of orchestrating a large-scale bribery scheme, reportedly paying out billions of Vietnamese Dong to corrupt officials to facilitate his illegal timber trafficking operations.
According to the investigating agency, the case is centered on accusations that 'Manh Timber' spent VND 3.2 billion (approximately $128,000 USD) to bribe numerous forest ranger officials. These illicit payments were allegedly designed to buy safe passage for his convoys of illegally harvested timber, allowing them to bypass checkpoints and avoid inspection.
The investigation is currently working to clarify the full scope of the operation. Authorities believe this was a systematic effort to compromise the very officials tasked with protecting the nation's forests. In exchange for the payments, the rangers would allegedly turn a blind eye, effectively providing protection for the criminal enterprise and enabling the largescale theft of natural resources.
The arrest of a high-profile figure like 'Manh Timber' is seen as a significant development in the ongoing crackdown on environmental crime and official corruption in Vietnam. Illegal logging not only causes severe deforestation and ecological damage but also fuels a vast black market economy that undermines the rule of law.
The case is now active and expanding. Investigators are focused on identifying all the officials who were on 'Manh Timber's' payroll and determining the full extent of his criminal network. The apprehension is expected to dismantle a major illegal logging ring and sends a strong deterrent message that complicity and corruption within state agencies will be prosecuted.
