An anti-smuggling team customs official has been charged by the Financial Security Department and the Ministry of Public Security for soliciting bribes to pass goods through customs.
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Nguyen Tuong Duy, of the HCM City Customs Department, was arrested for abuse of power. Police found envelopes containing nearly VND1bn cash in his house.
It is alleged Duy asked companies to pay VND2m for quick cargo clearance, charging VND15m for suspicious goods. He allegedly threatened to delay clearance if the bribe wasn't paid.
A food company employee said bribes were not unusual, with unofficial fees often paid to push perishable goods through customs.
Hoang Viet Cuong, deputy head of Vietnam Customs, promised to tighten discipline at locality customs departments.
A survey by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry last year found 28% of 3,123 responding firms said they had to pay additional customs fees, with some firms worried they would be treated unfairly if they refused to pay.
