The younger brother of a high-ranking Party official in the north-central Vietnamese province of Thanh Hoa has been found operating multiple eateries on agricultural land and was required to shut down the venues.

The People’s Committee in Thanh Hoa City, the capital of the namesake province, has completed its inspection of the use of agricultural land leased to Nguyen Xuan Huong in Quang Thinh Commune.

Huong is the younger brother of Nguyen Xuan Phi, secretary of the Party Committee and chairman of the People’s Council in the city.

The entrance to the ‘food village.’ Photo: Tuoi Tre

According to the report of the administration, the piece of land was previously rented by local authorities to Tay Ho Investment and Construction JSC in April 1998.

In 2006, the firm gave back the land plot to authorities due to ineffective business activities.

The property was eventually leased to Huong, who is a local businessman, in October 2014.

Eateries inside the ‘food village’ operated by Nguyen Xuan Huong. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Huong was permitted to grow rice and raise fish in the piece of land, which covers an area of more than 70,360 square meters.

He was also given the permission to open recreational fishing services and a pottery museum within the area, and to build several facilities that facilitate the business.

However, Huong was caught operating a ‘food village’ consisting of multiple eateries on a 327 square meter area within the land plot without a license.

The pottery museum is established within the land plot. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The municipal People’s Committee has required Huong to use the land plot for the correct purposes and shut down all activities of the ‘food village.’

He will also need to complete additional paperwork regarding the land use change for business activities, namely recreational fishing and the pottery museum, as the land plot was originally zoned for agriculture.

Authorities in Quang Thinh Commune were also tasked with regularly examining the venue to make sure it complies with regulations.

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