To illegally clear shipments through customs, Tai Loc Group companies paid substantial “under-the-table” sums to officials and leaders at the Customs Sub-Department of Port No. 2, and colluded with Bao Linh Inspection JSC to issue falsified inspection certificates for customs declarations.

The Supreme People's Procuracy has finalized indictments against 22 defendants for the crimes of smuggling, taking bribes, fraud, and abuse of official power while performing public duties.

Among the accused are several company directors, including Nguyen Tai Loc (Director of Tai Loc Company), Ha Thi Oanh (Director of Tan Viet Company), Nguyen Van Khang (Director of Bao Linh Company), and multiple customs officials such as Dang Hoang Lan (former Head of the Procedure Team, Customs Sub-Department of Port No. 2) and To Thi Thu Huong (former Deputy Head of the Import-Export Procedure Team at the same sub-department).

From January 2021 to January 2024, defendants Ngo Quang Tuyen (Chief Accountant of Tai Loc Company) and Nguyen Tai Loc used the legal entities under the Tai Loc Group to falsely declare volumes, unit prices, and fabricate timber lists in customs documents to smuggle 13,376 containers under 1,698 customs declarations.

These included peeled wood veneers made from acacia, eucalyptus, rubberwood, and pine, with a total smuggled value exceeding 1.814 trillion VND (approximately 71 million USD).

The indictment stated that the group illegally profited by over 210 billion VND (about 8.2 million USD). To expedite illicit customs clearance, they paid bribes to officials at Port No. 2 and arranged with Bao Linh JSC for certificates matching their falsified customs declarations.

In the operation, Ngo Quang Tuyen, as chief accountant, co-founded and directed activities of the Tai Loc Group alongside tycoon Nguyen Tai Loc. Tuyen personally negotiated with foreign clients and coordinated with the company director to instruct staff to file fraudulent customs declarations regarding type, volume, and unit price. He also forged export timber documents.

According to the Supreme People’s Procuracy, Tuyen played the leading role and was the mastermind behind smuggling goods worth over 71 million USD, earning more than 210 billion VND in illegal profits. Of this, Tuyen received 90 percent, equivalent to around 189 billion VND (7.4 million USD), and was charged with smuggling.

Bribing customs officers

Tuyen also hired Nguyen Quang Long, a Tai Loc Company employee, to handle customs services at the port. He decided on and directly transferred over 8.1 billion VND (more than 317,000 USD) to Long to bribe leaders and officers at the Port No. 2 Customs Sub-Department, facilitating smooth clearance and bypassing violations. This act constitutes bribery.

Nguyen Tai Loc was found to have overseen domestic operations of the Tai Loc Group. He directly instructed the "Documentation and Customs Declaration" team to falsify customs paperwork regarding product type, quantity, and pricing, and signed on behalf of 13 individuals named as directors of the group’s affiliated companies.

Loc was charged as an accomplice to Tuyen in smuggling the goods worth over 71 million USD and illicitly profiting over 210 billion VND, of which he received 10 percent, or about 21 billion VND (approximately 827,000 USD).

Customs officers and leaders at Port No. 2 were also found to have accepted bribes to fast-track clearance procedures and overlook violations. For instance, Trinh Dang Tai, a document handler, accepted over 5.4 billion VND (more than 213,000 USD), personally profiting 845 million VND (around 33,000 USD).

Former Deputy Team Leader To Thi Thu Huong took over 2.4 billion VND (about 95,000 USD), profiting more than 405 million VND (about 16,000 USD), and former Team Leader Dang Hoang Lan received over 3 billion VND (roughly 118,000 USD), of which he kept about 864 million VND (nearly 34,000 USD).

The indictment also pointed out that Nguyen Thi Thu Hien (former Sub-Department Head) and Vu Ngan Chau (former Deputy Head) were responsible for overseeing the customs unit but knowingly ignored procedural lapses in favor of Tai Loc Group.

They failed to enforce regulations, neglected to correct misconduct, and accepted over 648 million VND (more than 25,500 USD) each. Their actions constituted abuse of power while performing official duties, causing damage to the state.

T. Nhung