All that a group of Anhui prosecutors wanted for Christmas last year was a taxpayer-funded junket to Europe, but their hopes were dashed when immigration officials at Helsinki airport in Finland spotted a fake invitation letter.
The embarrassing diplomatic incident has prompted Beijing to get tough on officials heading overseas on so-called study trips that often turn out to be little more than shopping holidays.
The 10 Anhui procuratorate officials claimed to be on an overseas study tour at the invitation of the Finnish justice department when they arrived at the airport on November 20, but the documentation was recognised as a forgery.
The group had also broken rules by adding a few extra countries to its European itinerary, not getting permission from superiors and bribing other officers to approve their trip application.
The officials were deported the next day to face the wrath of the central government and possible corruption charges.
A multi-agency investigation followed, resulting in Xu Wenai, the leader of the group and the former deputy director of the provincial procuratorate, losing his job.
