Customs officer prosecuted for smuggling more than 700 iPhones

The Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigation Agency said it has delivered its investigation conclusions and transferred the case file to the People's Procuracy at the same level to propose prosecuting four defendants in the case of smuggling hundreds of electronic devices of various types through Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The defendants prosecuted for the crime of “smuggling” include Le Nguyen Thi Ai Tram (born in 1978, residing in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City), former officer of the Customs Department of Tan Son Nhat International Airport; Nguyen Hoang Minh (born in 1987, residing in Tien Giang Province), an employee of Tan Son Nhat Cargo Services Limited Company; Phan Quang Vinh (born in 1983) and Phan Thi Da Huong (born in 1982), both residing in Dong Nai Province.

According to the investigation conclusion, by means of false declaration and forged air waybills, Phan Quang Vinh and Phan Thi Da Huong smuggled a large quantity of electronic goods including 844 tablets and mobile phones of various types (including 714 iPhones) with a total value of over 9 billion VND from Hong Kong to Vietnam through Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

Photo for illustration purposes only. (Source: VNA)

To successfully carry out the scheme, Vinh and Huong colluded with Le Nguyen Thi Ai Tram, a customs officer assigned to inspect non-commercial imported goods, to “evade” inspection according to regulations. Tram signed falsely on the customs declaration for 13 packages of Vinh and Huong’s goods.

Nguyen Hoang Minh - an employee of Tan Son Nhat Cargo Services Limited Company - forged a signature to help Phan Thi Da Huong avoid having to be named on the warehouse delivery notes of 13 packages, and directed the driver to transport the goods straight through the customs control gate, even though he knew the goods had not been inspected.

Tram and Minh's actions helped the goods pass through customs without going through inspection, aiding Vinh and Huong's smuggling.

Previously, as reported, on January 14, 2015, detectives from the Department of Investigation of Crimes on Economic Management Order and Positions - Ho Chi Minh City Police inspected a tourist car with license plate 51D-009.13 and discovered 13 packages containing iPhone mobile phones, iPad tablets... with the bill of lading intact, showing no signs of having been inspected by customs. This shipment was transported from abroad to Vietnam by air via Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

Based on the transporter's testimony, the investigation agency initiated a case and temporarily detained Vinh and Huong on January 22. On January 30, the police agency executed the order to temporarily detain Tram, while Minh was released on bail./.

According to Vietnamplus