According to the office, Besra Vietnam reportedly owes around VND350 billion ($17.5 million) in back taxes, including resource taxes, VAT taxes and environmental protection fees. The Phuoc Son Company, the manager of a Besra-owned gold mine, was found to owe $15 million; the other, Bong Mieu, was discovered to owe $2.5 million in taxes.
Bersa COO Lee told VnExpress news website that he hoped the tax administrator would reconsider its punishment, claiming that this has proven the hardest period in the company’s 20-year history in Vietnam.