Ex-customs chief on trial

　　ZHU HAOTANG, former chief of Huizhou Customs, stood trial yesterday in the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court for allegedly helping ship smuggled oil into Huizhou Port.The case allegedly involved Zhao Yucun, the former chief of Shenzhen Customs.Zhu was charged with taking bribes of HK$2.04 million and 550,000 yuan from the Shenzhen Huiwei Industrial and Trading Co. Ltd., which was run by Yang Gaiqing, an alleged smuggling ringleader.The Huiwei company allegedly smuggled 267 shiploads of edible oil into the country between June 1996 and June 1998. By smuggling 827,553 tons of oil, the ring would have evaded taxes of 2.477 billion yuan (US$299.88 million). It is believed to be the biggest smuggling case in Shenzhen.Zhu denied he had taken bribes, saying he was forced to take the money from Yang Gaiqing out of fear because Yang, he claimed, had powerful backing. But prosecutors said Zhu had transferred the illegal money he had taken from Yang Gaiqing in an attempt to evade investigation. It was revealed that Zhu had returned all the bribe money.The court will pronounce judgment soon.The smuggling case was first disclosed in August 2000, when procuratorate authorities were investigating the corruption case of Zhao Yucun.(Li Jing)