The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Office of Attorney General (OAG) will together auction off confiscated goods worth Nu 1.5 m. The goods were confiscated from 18 importers for tax evasion back in November 2014.
A tip off by an anonymous complainant alerted the ACC about the case. The commission was informed that two trucks, carrying goods, have entered the border gate in Phuentshogling without declaring at Regional Revenue and Customs Office.
ACC investigated the case and forwarded it to OAG for prosecution in September 2016.
The case was prosecuted at the Phuentshogling Dungkhag Court. The judgement was passed last month.
The goods belonged to eighteen people. Except for one, the court convicted the rest 17 for indirect tax evasion and sentenced them to compoundable prison sentences ranging from one to five months. A compoundable sentence means the convicts can pay in lieu of prison term.
Also, the convicts together have to pay a total cash penalty of about Nu 968,000 ngultrum to the government.
The court also ordered ACC and OAG to auction off the confiscated goods.
The drivers of trucks, meanwhile, have been punished with a compoundable prison sentence of two months, 15 days.
The dungkhag court is yet to come out with its judgement on the two customs officials charged with abuse of function for their alleged involvement in the case.
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