Society

Dinner bills lead to probe into tobacco chief

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-01-27 13:53

GUANGZHOU- A government tobacco official in South China has been suspended after investigators found evidence of corruption, including one day's restaurant bills of 130,000 yuan ($19,750).

Chen Wenzhu, director of Tobacco Bureau of Shanwei City, Guangdong Province, was also found to be illegally holding two different ID cards and two residence registration booklets, know as "hukou," said Lin Jianhua, administrative director with the Provincial Tobacco Monopoly Bureau.

Bureau investigators had also confirmed claims made by netizens and news organizations that Chen had traveled extensively abroad, Lin said.

Officials from Guangdong's tobacco administrations, discipline inspection and audit authorities had arrived in Shanwei to investigate allegations of frequent luxury banquets and exorbitant expenses claimed by Chen's bureau and the employment of many of Chen's relatives there.

Netizens called on investigators to determine whether Chen had unexplained assets or was involved in economic crimes.

News organizations have reported that Chen's bureau spent more than 2 million yuan ($303,800) in March last year in entertainment activities, mainly dining and gift purchases.  One meal is alleged to have cost 80,000 yuan.