Li Hao
A MAN who allegedly refused a customs inspection at Shatoujiao Checkpoint on Friday had a record of refusals, Shenzhen Customs said in a statement Saturday night.
The statement came on the heels of media reports that Sun Maohai, a 44-year-old man, collapsed while being interrogated by customs officers at the checkpoint, which triggered speculation of violence by the officers.
Sun was taken to Yantian People s Hospital when he went into a coma and remained in a critical condition yesterday with a brain haemorrage.
The customs said Sun had refused customs inspections many times before Friday s incident.
He was detained for 15 days in July 2003 for using a knife to threaten customs officers to resist an inspection, according to the customs.
On Oct. 30, Sun refused an inspection of more than 10 boxes he was carrying on a trolley.
The unidentified officers involved in interrogating Sun had been suspended from duty pending an investigation.
Two customs officials had been appointed to conduct the investigation. Any offense would be severely punished.
Sun refused to have his bag inspected by the officers when returning from Zhongying Street, which defines the border between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, said Sun s friend, surnamed Huang, who was with Sun.
Sun was later taken to an office by three uniformed customs officers, Huang told the Southern Metropolis Daily on Saturday.
Yantian police told the Daily on Saturday that, according to an initial investigation, customs officers did not beat Sun, who became emotional when being interrogated on suspicion of smuggling. He had injured himself when he fell to the floor.
However, further investigations were needed to determine whether Sun s injuries were caused by customs officers, police said.
The investigation is continuing.
