Another Customs officer charged

In its latest campaign to stamp out smuggling in the Northern Marianas, the government on Friday filed charges of theft by extortion, bribery and misconduct in public office against Raymond B. Borja, the third officer of the Division of Customs to be linked in the illegal activity.

Based on the information filed in the Superior Court by Kevin Lynch, chief of the Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Office, Borja is facing one count each of the crimes he allegedly committed on or about May 24, 1999 on Saipan.

Under the CNMI laws, Borja could face up to five years prison term or a fine of least $5,000 if convicted

According to court documents, the customs officer allegedly committed theft by extortion by obtaining property of Heo In Sook valued at least $250 by threatening to inflict bodily harm on her or commit other criminal offense. He also received an undetermined amount of bribe money for not reporting the alleged violation of the laws, the government says in the charge sheet.

The AGO says Borja, who was wearing a uniform when he committed such crimes, even showed his badge to identify himself as an officer of the Customs Division.

Last week charges of bribery and misconduct in public office were filed against Antonio S. Reyes and Benjamin S. Delos Reyes for allegedly receiving payoffs from smugglers in exchange for the release of taxable merchandise.

Reyes and Delos Reyes were charged with one count each of bribery and one count each of misconduct in public office – criminal offenses punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000.

According to court documents, the two “did unlawfully and voluntarily received money in wrongful and corrupt payment…while employed as Customs officer, (to) allow merchandise to enter the Commonwealth without being properly taxed according to its value.”

The crimes were allegedly committed on or about April 8, 1999 on Saipan, according AGO’s information.

The cases against these customs officers came after four Korean nationals were apprehended and charged for allegedly attempting to smuggle close to 2,000 cartons of cigarettes into the Northern Marianas.

Early this month, Hyun Col Cho, Chan Ho Park, Moon Ho Kim and Keum Ja Hwang were charged with violations of customs laws after they tried to bring in smuggled cigarettes with the aid of customs officers.

A previous information filed by the AGO indicated that government investigators, acting on a tip received last month, determined that an officer of the Customs Division met with one of the Korean suspects and was paid $750 in exchange for the entry of boxes of cigarettes

Court documents said in another incident a customs officer was promised to be paid $400 if he would clear the entry of 1,000 cartons of undeclared cigarettes to be brought in by Hwang from South Korea.