Customs Captain Received Huge Money 3 Times to 'Turn Away' from Gasoline Smuggling

The Investigation Police Agency of Dong Nai Province has just completed the conclusion of the first phase of the investigation, proposing to prosecute Mr. Ngo Van Thuy - former Head of the Southern Anti-Smuggling Control Team (under the General Department of Customs) for bribery.

Mr. Ngo Van Thuy, while serving as Head of the Southern Anti-Smuggling Control Team (under the General Department of Customs), received more than 800 million VND to "turn a blind eye" to the smuggling ring of 200 million liters.gasoline.

Mr. Ngo Van Thuy received a bribe of more than 800 million VND. Photo: D.S.

This is the conclusion after nearly 1 year of the Dong Nai Provincial Police Department investigating the case of smuggling and counterfeiting 200 million liters of gasoline in the coastal areas of the southern provinces.

According to the conclusion of the first phase of the investigation, the subjects Phan Thanh Huu (65 years old, Director of Phan Le Hoang Anh Trading Company Limited), Nguyen Huu Tu (65 years old, from Vinh Long); Dao Ngoc Vien (54 years old, Director of Dai Duong Hai Phong Company Limited) and 70 other accomplices committed smuggling. The Investigation Police Agency has prosecuted the accused and proposed to prosecute the subjects.

According to the investigation conclusion, since 2019, Mr. Phan Thanh Huu and Nguyen Huu Tu have colluded with many company directors to contribute capital to hire large tonnage ships of Mr. Dao Ngoc Vien to smuggle gasoline from Singapore to Vietnam. When the gasoline arrived in Vietnam's waters, Mr. Phan Thanh Huu ordered the Nhat Minh 07-09 ships to pick up the gasoline and transport it to the Hau River sea area (Vinh Long province) and then transport it to provinces and cities for consumption.

By early 2021, Mr. Thuy, who was the Head of the Southern Anti-Smuggling Control Team (in charge of the area from Binh Thuan and below), received information that the Nhat Minh ship was transporting smuggled gasoline to My Hoa commune (Binh Minh town, Vinh Long province), so he deployed forces to Can Tho city to arrest it.

Knowing that the Customs would arrest the Nhat Minh ships, Nguyen Huu Tu informed Phan Thanh Huu, then asked a Customs officer of Team 3 to introduce him to Thuy to bribe him.

On January 25, 2021, Nguyen Huu Tu called to meet Ngo Van Thuy and he agreed to meet at Bien Dong House (Can Tho City). There, Tu and his junior Tran Ngoc Thanh brought an envelope containing 10,000 USD to Thuy and asked him to facilitate the Nhat Minh ships to transport gasoline to My Hoa commune. However, Mr. Thuy replied "I don't promise" and then went with Tu and Thanh to another restaurant to have lunch with the working group.

On January 28, Tu and Thanh put another ATM card (with 100 million VND in the account) in an envelope with 10,000 USD and went to Thuy's house in Ho Chi Minh City to continue to raise the issue of not arresting the Nhat Minh ship.

Because Mr. Thuy still hadn't promised to help, Tu put the envelope of money in the drawer of Thuy's living room. When leaving, Tu told Mr. Thuy the ATM card password.

However, on February 6, 2021, the Dong Nai Provincial Police force in coordination with the Criminal Police Department (Ministry of Public Security) suddenly raided a floating dock in the middle of the Hau River and caught many subjects red-handed mixing and decanting fake gasoline.

At the same time, the police simultaneously inspected 13 other locations in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Long An, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, etc., arresting many related subjects.

Two ships carrying smuggled gasoline were seized by the police. Photo: CAĐN

The investigation agency determined that this line smuggled more than 204 million liters of gasoline, worth nearly 2,900 billion VND, illegally profiting hundreds of billions of VND.

In addition, the police also determined that in the case there were many officers who were said to be "protecting" Phan Thanh Huu and his accomplices. Among them, some were soldiers in the Coast Guard and Border Guard. Dong Nai Provincial Police have transferred documents and evidence to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ministry of National Defense for handling according to their authority.

In addition to smuggling, the police also investigated subjects for the production and trade of counterfeit goods and the illegal printing, issuance and sale of invoices and documents for payment to the State budget.