The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau has sent to the Prosecutor’s Office materials of the criminal proceedings which were initiated in October 2007 on bribery at the customs checkpoint Terehova suggesting to start prosecution of 12 persons on different corruptive offences.
Evidences collected within the investigation give sufficient grounds to suspect seven officials of the Customs Board of the Latgale Regional Office of the State Revenue Service for using official position in bad faith for purposes of acquiring property and for extortion of a bribe in a group of persons pursuant to a prior agreement. At the same time KNAB suggests to start prosecution of five persons for bribe giving or intermediation in bribery, as well as for using official position in bad faith for purposes of acquiring property.
During a pre-trial investigation it was established that officials of the customs checkpoint Terehova had accepted material values or acquired other types of material benefits for themselves and their family members for not controlling and checking vehicles and cargos.
After evaluating information gathered during criminal proceedings, it was established that from May to October 2007 Customs officers formed an organised group of persons which was dealing with bribe taking and extortion of bribes related to not performing control functions, processing of customs procedures and not filing violations of customs regulations.
Materials of the criminal case indicate that there was an agreement in place among several Latvian and foreign enterprises and Customs officers. This agreement foresaw a precise amount of a bribe for certain illegal activities of Customs officers pursuant to a prior agreement and related to vehicles and cargos of these enterprises. Information gathered during criminal proceedings indicate that from May to October 2007 a reward for these officials’ activities were paid, probably, for several tens of times per day (for each from 100 to 200 US dollars in average).
Considering that during a pre-trial investigation enough evidences have been collected, KNAB is suggesting prosecuting seven officials of the Customs Board of the Latgale Regional Office of the State Revenue Service – Deputy Head of Eastern Latgale Customs checkpoint Division, two Heads of Customs shifts and four Senior Customs Supervisors of the customs checkpoint Terehova for offences foreseen in Section 318, Paragraph 2 and Section 320, Paragraph 3 of the Criminal Law. For bribe giving or intermediation in bribery which was done repeatedly KNAB is suggesting the following charges against five persons among them former officer of Ludza Board of the State Border Guard and one officer of Traffic Police of the Ludza District Police Board (the last one also on charges foreseen by the Section 318, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Law).
Considering the extensive amount of the criminal case, further pre-trial investigation will be continued under the supervision of a prosecutor.