VCN – The People’s Court of HCM City has just sentenced defendants involved in smuggling 1,287 containers of used machinery and equipment into Vietnam and the mastermind was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
 | Mastermind of smuggling ring appears in court |
| Cases of illegal invoice trading detected |
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| Defendants in the court. |
Accordingly, Hoang Duy Tien, a former police officer under the PC03 of the HCM City Police Department, was sentenced to prison to 13 years for smuggling. Vo Van Dong, a former police officer, was sentenced to seven years for smuggling. The other accomplices were fined VND1.5 billion or received jail sentences between 3-11 years.
Through the physical inspection of seven containers of used machinery and equipment under seven declaration forms of companies of Gia Cat Thanh, Dai Loi, and Hoang Kim, the HCM City Police and Zone 1st Customs Branch detected the smuggling ring masterminded by Hoang Duy Tien.
Notably, the mastermind of the smuggling ring is Hoang Duy Tien, a former police officer of PC03’s Anti-Smuggling Team, who understands the law and the State’s policies for importing used machinery, equipment and production lines. However, he hired individuals to establish companies, colluded with goods owners to import these products to Vietnam, and handed them over to goods owners to make a profit.
To be allowed to import into Vietnam, the manufacturing date of the used machinery and equipment must be no more than 10 years. However, to make more profit, most goods owners imported products that were manufactured over 10 years. Therefore, Tien directed employees to falsely declare a production date of fewer than 10 years in the customs dossier to be eligible for import. At the same time, declare the value of imported goods much lower than the actual value to reduce the amount of tax payable.
When the goods were brought to the warehouse for storage, waiting for the inspection results, Tien directed the staff to deliver the goods to the owners for consumption without waiting for the inspection. To complete the customs procedures for containers imported to Vietnam, Tien agreed with Dai Minh Viet Control Corporation to issue a forged Certificate of Inspection for cargo containers with a price of VND2.8 – 3.2 million/certificate, depending on the time.
From August-2019, Tien and his employees established 47 companies, then directly used the legal entities of 45 companies to carry out procedures for importing used machinery and equipment for smuggling. As a result, he imported 1,287 containers of used products ineligible for import to VietNam.
The companies hired by Tien do not have factories, do not operate, and do not use any used imported machinery and equipment. To transport containers from the port to the warehouses for the owners, Tien hired other companies to transport them. The hired employees are assigned specific tasks in the import process.
For Vo Van Dong, working at the Anti-Smuggling Team – PC03, in February 2021, Dong met Tien and said that he had a friend who needed to import containers of used machinery from abroad into Vietnam. Tien agreed to a cost of VND90 million/container (including shipping costs). Tien received information of bill of lading, goods list from Dong. Tien directed the staff to make documents and procedures for importing containers at the Branch.
Dong met Tien to pay the agreed cost. From February to May 24, 2021, Tien completed the procedures and imported six containers of used machinery and equipment worth more than VND924 million.
By Nguyen Hien/Ngoc Loan