Vietnam has targeted 16 bankers in its latest crackdown on corruption.

On Tuesday, the government issued arrest warrants for 14 bankers and took two others into custody, accusing the group of causing hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to a variety of private and state-owned banks.

According to a statement on The Ministry of Public Security’s website, the bankers allegedly colluded with the private Vietnam Construction Bank to secure loans which amounted to $US660 million.

One senior banker in the group is Tram Be, the former bank deputy chairman of Sacombank and a member of one of Vietnam’s richest families.

Last year, 36 former Vietnam Contruction Bank employees were handed jail terms of up to 30 years for secretly withdrawing millions of dollars from client accounts.

On Monday, Hanoi suggested sacking its deputy trade minister for her wrongdoings back when she was the head of a lamp manufacturing company.