At the press conference (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Eleven officials, including fivein taxation and six in the customs have been suspended from work due to their involvement in an alleged bribery case at Japan’sTenma Vietnam company, Deputy Minister ofFinance Vu Thi Mai told a press conference in Hanoi on June 2 following themonthly Government meeting.
Mai said the Finance Ministry set up an inspectionteam on May 25 to conduct an investigation at the Department of Taxation and theDepartment of Customs in the northern province of Bac Ninh in which the Japanese company is based, as well as organisations and individuals concerned.
The result of the investigation will beannounced to the press, she said.
Chief of the Office of the Ministry of PublicSecurity To An Xo said the ministry’s leaders had ordered the provincial public securityforce to verify information on the case and work with the company and units concerned.
The ministry’s units were also assigned to workwith the Japanese side to collect relevant evidence and documents.
Xo emphasised that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had required relevant agencies to urgently clarify the allegation, and strictly punish violations if any, thus creating a transparent and fair environment for investment and business while preventing tax evasion.
Tenma Vietnam is a subsidiary of Japan’splastic product maker Tenma Corporation.
The case came into the spotlight whenJapanese media including Asahi Shimbun newspaper, Kyodo news agencyand Nikkei, reported that Tenma Vietnam gave a bribe of 25 million JPY(232,000 USD) to several Vietnamese officials to avoid paying corporate income tax and import tax./.
