Vietnamese tycoon arrested after being deported from Singapore

Friday, 5 January 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Singapore/Hanoi (Reuters): A fugitive Vietnamese tycoon who is accused of spilling state secrets was arrested in Hanoi on Thursday after being deported from Singapore.

Vu, 42, who was detained in Singapore for immigration offences last week, told his lawyers he was also a senior officer in Vietnam’s secret police and had been trying to get to Germany. He could face the death penalty in Vietnam.

Police in Vietnam said he was arrested after his deportation.

“The Security Investigation Agency of the Ministry of Public Security received and arrested the accused Phan Van Anh Vu and will investigate according to Vietnamese law,” the ministry said on its website.

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority said in a letter to Vu’s lawyer that Vietnamese authorities informed the agency the passport Vu used to enter Singapore was fake and it had ordered his removal.

A lawyer for Vu in Singapore said he was only informed about the deportation nearly three hours after he had been flown out.

“I am disappointed that, despite our best efforts for our client, he was deported without our knowledge or given an opportunity to contest the allegations made against him,” Remy Choo told Reuters.

The Singapore immigration agency did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Singapore has close diplomatic and trade ties to Vietnam. This year, Singapore is also chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations grouping, which has sought to strengthen regional cooperation.

Serious security offences, such as revealing state secrets, can carry the death penalty in Vietnam.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.