HCM City – Forty three former Vietnamese custom officials accused of various corruption offenses have appeared at the People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday.

Among the defendants, an unprecedented number of 31 custom officials were from the Mekong Delta’s An Giang Province and HCM City, Vietnam News (VNS) reports.

According to VNS, 46 suspects were ordered to stand trial under the indictment issued by the Supreme People’s Procuracy of Viet Nam, but three escaped.

The indictment allegedly states that the 46 defendants are accused of multiple violations including smuggling, fraud and appropriation of property, bribery, abusing positions and powers while on duty, and managerial oversight that led to the offenses.

Sentences for the suspects will be handed down by the criminal court, chaired by chief judge Pham Luong Toan, on June 28.

– TiVi Tuan-san