Ten allegedly corrupt customs officers who took bribes to charge lower customs tariffs on goods imported from China and Italy for over a period of six months, short-changed the state budget for at least eight million kuna, according to findings of an investigation which the Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) launched against 17 persons including one Chinese national, USKOK said on Wednesday.
All the suspects were arrested on Tuesday following a several-month-long probe. After the suspects have been questioned, USKOK will decide for whom of them it will request a one-month investigative detention.
USKOK alleges that the customs officers conspired with forwarding company directors in Zagreb, Rijeka and Skrljevo to unlawfully reduce customs tariffs on goods imported from China and Italy and in return received kickbacks.
USKOK has charged the group with abuse of office and authority, accepting and offering bribes and forgery of official documents in a criminal enterprise.
