On 7/8, after two days of proceedings, the Hai Phong People's Court returned the case file for further investigation. The case involves smuggling, bribery, abuse of power, and property fraud, implicating 14 former customs officials.

According to the judging council, between January 2021 and January 2024, Nguyen Tai Loc and Ngo Quang Tuyen established 13 companies and borrowed the legal status of three others (collectively referred to as the Tai Loc Company group). They engaged in smuggling by falsifying declarations and fabricating documents to illegally export 13,376 containers of peeled veneer (thin sheets of wood peeled from logs). The total value of the smuggled goods is estimated at over 1,800 billion VND.

The investigation documents reveal that Tuyen and Loc coordinated operations and directed defendant Nguyen Quang Long to bribe customs officials. The judging council argued that charging Loc solely with smuggling while omitting bribery charges is an oversight, necessitating further investigation.

22 defendants in the case. Photo: Le Tan

22 defendants in the case. Photo: Le Tan

During customs procedures, 92 out of 1,689 declarations from the Tai Loc Company group were flagged for thorough inspection. Through customs introductions, Long contacted defendant Nguyen Van Khang, Director of Bao Linh Company, requesting assistance in certifying the goods according to the customs declarations. Long informed Khang about "outside payments" made to customs officials.

Khang directed defendant Hoang Tuan Son, deputy director, and other appraisers to issue 25 certificates based on the customs declarations. Before issuance, Khang consulted officials from the Procedures Team at Customs Branch 2. The People’s Procuracy determined that Bao Linh Company's appraisal process violated regulations, aiding the smuggling operation.

The judging council requested further investigation to clarify the actions and intent of Khang and Son to determine appropriate charges. The council also demanded clarification of the responsibilities of Bao Linh Company's appraisers: Pham Minh Duc, Le Hai Binh, and Nguyen Chinh Cuong.

Further investigation into two customs team leaders is also required.

By colluding with and assisting the Tai Loc Company group in smuggling, overlooking violations during inspections, and misrepresenting quantities and prices, the accused customs officials received over 8 billion VND in bribes.

The defendants admitted to dividing the money according to pre-determined internal ratios. Officials processing declarations, such as Trinh Dang Tai and Pham Tung Duong, received 100,000 VND per declaration and 15% of the customs clearance fees. To Thi Thu Huong, Deputy Team Leader of the Procedures Team, allegedly received 15% of the remaining 85% of customs clearance fees (4.4 billion VND). Dang Hoang Lan received 20% of the amount received by Huong (864 million VND). Branch leaders Nguyen Thi Thu Hien and Vu Ngan Chau each received 30% of the amount received by Lan (648 million VND each).

Both in court and during the investigation, defendant Huong maintained that she gave money to team leaders Khiem, Tuyen, and Lan. She also testified about asking Duong to consult team leader Khiem regarding the company's request to reduce outside payments for customs clearance from 800,000 VND to 600,000 VND per container, which Khiem approved. Huong stated that the team leaders shared her office, enabling them to observe and control the money brought in by customs officials.

According to the indictment, during the investigation, Khiem and Tuyen denied receiving money from Huong and were not prosecuted.

However, the judging council asserted that the investigation did not fully clarify their actions and failed to employ additional investigative measures. The council demanded a review of their complicity in bribery and a determination of whether they committed "official misconduct."

Regarding the eight individuals prosecuted for abuse of power, including Nguyen Thi Thu Hien (former Director of Customs Branch 2), Vu Ngan Chau (former Deputy Director of Customs Branch 2), and former customs officials Nguyen Anh Duc (39), Tran Quoc Hung (51), Bui Tien Hau (37), Pham Van Dinh (55), Nguyen Van Long (56), and Truong Binh Loc (39), the judging council requested further investigation into their complicity in bribery, as they all received outside payments from the company.

The judging council also requested an investigation into a former tax official in Hanoi who allegedly accepted money from defendant Tran Thi Thuy, who is charged with property fraud for accepting money from Tuyen to handle tax declarations.

Le Tan