VietNamNet Bridge - The former deputy chairman of Lao Cai Province People’s Committee, senior customs and police officers and several company executives were yesterday sentenced to long jail terms.

This followed a month-long court hearing that found them guilty of being involved in a notorious tobacco smuggling case dubbed Thien Loi Hoa after the name of the company involved.

The longest jail terms, 30 years, were given to those accused of giving bribes, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lien, former Thien Loi Hoa Company director, and her former deputy, Nguyen Huy Tan. Four others were sentenced to between two and nine years.

Vu Van Khoa, an ex staff member at Ha Long Port was given a two year- suspended sentence. The Supreme People’s Court meted out jail terms of between two and 16 years to customs officers found guilty on different counts of taking bribes.

Former Lao Cai People’s Committee deputy chairman Nguyen Ngoc Kim, who was accused of abusing his power, will serve a three year-suspended term.

Big fines

Three former policemen Ta Manh Dung, Dinh Van Minh and Nguyen Xuan Son will be jailed for between one and 12 years

The court also ordered the defendants to pay fines of up to VND196 million (US$12,000).

According to the indictment, Nguyen Thi Lien established the Thien Loi Hoa Company which duplicated contracts with a Chinese company to import contraband tobacco leaf into Viet Nam after quotas were introduced in 2004.

The company imported at least 14,000 tonnes and avoided tax totalling VND7.2 billion (US$450,000) by smuggling it across the Viet Nam-China border.

Former Provincial People’s Committee deputy chairman Nguyen Ngoc Kim signed 14 import licences for the company and other businesses.

Police said the company paid him VND85 million ($5,300) and a further VND1.3 billion( more than $81,000) to 16 customs officers.

Kim, who became deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, the second top position in Lao Cai northern province in 2002, was arrested in January last year.

(Source: VNS)