Tobacco.org

• Mammoth tobacco-smuggling trial begins 

The trial of a former provincial deputy mayor, 16 customs officers and two policemen implicated in a major tobacco-smuggling cartel opens in the northern province of Lao Cai Wednesday.

The 25 defendants, accused of smuggling 11,000 tons of tobacco from China, have been charged with abusing power, offering and taking bribes, smuggling and fraud, prosecutors said.

Nguyen Ngoc Kim, former deputy chairman of the Lao Cai's People's Committee, received kickbacks to illegally ratify 14 documents allowing several private enterprises to "import" tobacco, the indictment said.

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