QUẢNG NINH  — The Quảng Ninh People’s Court on Tuesday began hearing an appeal on a case relating to the smuggling of 7,700 tonnes of diesel oil which resulted in the loss of over VNĐ22 billion (US$966,000) to the State budget.

The case involved 12 defendants, including Nguyễn Thế Dũng, 61, former general director of Đồng Tháp Oil and Gas Trading Company, Trương Hữu Có, 51, former director of Eastern Asia Transport Trading Joint-Stock Company and Phạm Văn Khương, a former official of Cẩm Phả Customs Office.

In the trial which took place in January, Dũng and Có were sentenced to 19 years imprisonment

Vi Văn Dũng, Nguyễn Ngọc Thi, Trần Quốc Việt and Nguyễn Thành Nam, as well as Phạm Văn Báu, Chu Thi Mỹ Hương, Đặng Việt Anh and Lê Thanh Thảo Ly were sentenced to between 3-16 years of imprisonment. Ly received five years’ probation.

Phạm Hoàng Giang and Phạm Văn Khương were sentenced to 14-15 months of imprisonment as accessories to the crime. Khương received a probation.

Trần Mạnh Hùng and Đinh Văn Long received a warning for their lack of responsibility leading to serious consequences.

Đặng Thu Ngân evaded capture and is currently a fugitive.

According the Court’s indictment, from the end of 2011 to July 2012, Nguyễn Thế Dũng agreed to sell diesel oil from his company to Có, Đặng Thu Ngân and Vi Văn Dũng.

The official imported oil in the form of temporary import for re-export and then sold it to other countries.

Thế Dũng asked Thi and Việt to draw up fake contracts and customs returns to regularise their illegal sales of more than 7,690 tonnes of diesel oil worth more than VNĐ168 billion (US$7.4 million).

They then sold the oil to Chinese smugglers at the Tà Lùng Border Gate in the northern province of Cao Bằng, the Mường Khương Border Gate in Lào Cai and in Móng Cái City, Quảng Ninh.

After the first court appearance, the twelve defendants appealed against the ruling.

The trial is expected to last until Friday. — VNS