~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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Vietnam smuggling bust nets 22 customs officials

HANOI - Vietnamese police have charged dozens of people, including 22 customs officers, with involvement in a major smuggling ring, state media reported on Wednesday.
The Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper said the female ringleader, Do Thi My Phuong, had used three firms and corrupt customs officials to smuggle goods worth millions of dollars into the country during an unspecified time period.

Part of her haul included nearly 10,000 motorbikes, the daily said, adding a total of 45 people had been charged with various offences. Among those charged were the heads of the customs departments in southern Ba Rai-Vung Tau and Long An provinces, the newspaper said. Officials were not available to comment, but a trial is likely to follow soon.

The case comes only one month after a court in southern Vietnam upheld death sentences imposed on two men for their involvement in the country's biggest smuggling scandal, which also involved numerous customs officers. That case, which revolved around the Tan Truong Sanh company, saw the smuggling of goods worth $71.3 million into Vietnam between 1994-97.
Diplomats say the Tan Truong Sanh case was a key factor that led to the removal in October of Phan Van Dinh as head of Vietnam's customs department. Dinh has since been disciplined by the ruling Communist Party, although no details have been made public.

Smuggling and graft have become more widespread in Vietnam in recent years, and foreign investors have said the problems are a major impediment to doing business in the country.

Reuters - December 8, 1999.