Tuoi Tre newspaper revealed blatant bribery between importers and officials of Ho Chi Minh City-based ports Cat Lai, Tan Cang, and Vict.
A tape recording shows importers having to pay bribes to officials at every section of the customs department, from declarations to checking and finally taxes before their goods are allowed through.
The recording clearly shows the owner of a consignment of seven imported trucks paying over VND30 million (US$1,700) just to have his shipment cleared at customs.
Another instance showed a consignment with shipping records different from its declaration form whisked through customs after money was handed over to officials.
At Cat Lai Port
The owner of the consignment, P, who agreed to Tuoi Tre’s request to wear a buttonhole camera on condition of anonymity, paid a bribe of VND28 million ($1,600) for the field check on the seven vehicles and another VND2.1 million ($118) for a paper check at Cat Lai Port customs department.
Field checking officer, Ho Thanh Quang initially set the price of VND5 million ($280) for each truck but reduced the payoff to VND4 million ($224) per vehicle after negotiating with P.
“I am sitting here mainly to help you. But remember to say (you paid) five million if someone else asks,” Quang told P.
After accepting a wad of VND28 million, Quang told P: “remember to pay VND300,000 ($17) per truck at the documents check.”
The seven breezed through customs despite being mislabeled as complete units when the vehicles were actually in pieces.
A few days later, P came back to Cat Lai and told Quang he will bring in another batch of four more trucks but asked the official to lower the price. The recording clearly shows the officers response.
“It’s the common price, and you know I don’t become richer or poorer if I ask you for more or less,” Quang said.
P then pushed the point by asking why checking officials of the Vict port ask for just VND2 million ($112) per vehicle.
Quang said bluntly, “the port has few goods so even a million and a half is accepted there.”
Other ports
Far from being an isolated incident at the Cat Lai port, Tuoi Tre also uncovered other instances of rampant corruption at the Tan Cang and Vict ports.
Another importer, this time referred to as N, also agreed to let reporters from Tuoi Tre accompany him as he brought in six lorries from the United States.
N told Tuoi Tre he had paid almost VND7 million ($392) for each lorry for his previous consignment at Cat Lai Port.
He shipped the new lorries into Tan Cang in the hope of paying less.
N met Vu Duc Dung, field checking officer of the Tan Cang customs department and Dung introduced him to an on-duty female officer who introduced herself Tam. Tuoi Tre discovered later that her full name is Phan Thi Minh Tam.
“Here we take just three million ($168) for each lorry, much cheaper than Cat Lai,” Tam told N in the video clip.
At the Vict Port, another importer, this time referred to as D, had a shipment of six trucks; and was offered a price of VND3 million for each vehicle.
Le Thanh Ha, field checking officer of Vict customs, confirmed: “it’s definitely VND18 million ($1,000) for all six vehicles. No reduction.”
Ha, however, offered D to pay him VND20 million ($1,120) to have his ‘full package’ cleared.
The recordings proved what the greater public has known for years; that the officials who are supposed to serve them and the country often harbor nests of corruption.
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