Home | China | World | Business Customs Head Sent to Jail TUE, FEB 19, 2002     The former head of the customs of Ningde city, in south China's Fujian Province, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for dereliction of duty. Sources at the Intermediate Court of Ningde said that Zhong Shutang's malpractice led to a tax loss of 10.97 million yuan (about 1.32 million U.S. dollars). In December 1997, a company in Ningde applied to ship more than 2,000 tons of raw textile materials from the bonded area of Ningbo, in neighboring Zhejiang Province, to its bonded warehouse in Fujian. Although it was clear to Zhong that the act would be categorized as smuggling, he ordered that the way be paved for the company. In January 1998, he helped the same company to transfer the same goods to the customs in Wenjindu, Shenzhen. The first trial decision will become effective if Zhong does not choose to appeal to a higher court. Editor:Hope CCTV.com Recommend to your friend email:    China Central Television,All Rights Reserved