Quang Ninh Provincial People's Court (April 29)Sentenced 22 defendants for illegally transporting used cars across the border.

Defendants in court - Photo: Duc Hieu

Of these, two defendants, Trieu Hoai Anh and Bui Quang Anh, former officers of the Customs Sub-Department of Bac Phong Sinh Border Gate Economic Zone, received a sentence of 31 months in prison. Defendant Bui Tien Quang (33 years old, residing in Quang Ninh, director of Tuan Dong Company) and defendant Le Hong Bang (39 years old, residing in Quang Ninh, director of Tan Dai Duong Company) were sentenced to 6 years in prison. The remaining defendants received sentences ranging from 36 months (with suspended sentences) to 5 years in prison.

According to the indictment of the prosecutor, on the night of May 5, 2013, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police (C45) coordinated with functional units to inspect at Km 13, Provincial Road 340 in Hai Ha District (Quang Ninh), discovered and detained 15 individuals transporting 37 cars along the border trail to China.

This vehicle number belongs to Tuan Dong Company Limited, Tan Dai Duong International Import Export Joint Stock Company and NC International Import Export Joint Stock Company.

In addition, the investigation agency also determined that Bac Phong Sinh Border Gate Customs Branch is receiving and processing procedures for 18 cars of Tuan Dong Company.

The appraisal results showed that all 55 cars were used, the frame numbers were erased, the year of manufacture declared in the records was not the actual year of manufacture, and all were on the list of goods temporarily suspended from import and re-export since September 2012. The total value of the cars was more than 36 billion VND.

The investigation agency determined that taking advantage of the State's temporary import and re-export policy, the above companies falsified economic records, made false declarations to customs authorities, and colluded with a number of customs and border guards to illegally transport used cars across the border.

Specifically, from March 12 to May 5, 2013, Tuan Dong Company (directed by Ha Tuan Dung, who later transferred capital to Bui Tien Quang) carried out procedures to temporarily import 138 used cars through Cai Lan port (Ha Long city) and re-export through Bac Phong Sinh border gate, of which 113 cars were transported across the border, the remaining 25 cars were discovered and seized by the police.

In this case, Ha Tuan Dung was the mastermind, directing Bui Tien Quang and his staff to carry out the crime. Currently, the defendant Dung is on the run, the investigation agency has issued a wanted notice and temporarily suspended the investigation against the defendant.

During this time, Bui Thi Phuong (Ha Tuan Dung's wife) was assigned to manage the finances of Tuan Dong Company, and spent more than 19 billion VND on Bui Tien Quang for illegal car trading. When the incident was discovered, Phuong destroyed all documents and books.

Using similar tricks, from January 15 to May 5, 2013, a group of 7 defendants from Tan Dai Duong International Import-Export Joint Stock Company, masterminded by Le Hong Bang, forged contracts, repaired old cars, and successfully sold 326 cars through underground sewers in the border area to China.

On May 5, when preparing to transport cars through this road, they were discovered. The police seized 29 cars of Tan Dai Duong Company worth nearly 19 billion VND.

Regarding NC International Trading Joint Stock Company, the investigation agency determined that one of the company's seized cars was a used car, the remaining 99 cars in the shipment were successfully exported to China. Currently, three defendants of this company, Hoang Dao Xuan Nghia, Nguyen Thanh Chung, and Ho Quang Doan, have fled and are wanted by the investigation police agency.

Trieu Hoai Anh and Bui Quang Anh were accused of exporting a total of more than 500 cars in the first four months of 2013 while working as customs officers at the Bac Phong Sinh Customs Branch, assigned to supervise vehicles of the three above-mentioned businesses, not to mention the 55 confiscated vehicles.

According to Tuoitre.vn