Multi facets of Bribery

The article 'Bribe Cards" posted by Radheshyam on 18th January reminds of two different systems where bribery works silently and unnoticed by the public. When I was posted at Sainthia, Birbhum, I used to visit my family at week-ends. In the train, with us Bank and LIC people, there were the regular smalltime salesmen. One person distributed cards, similar in colour and size to the railway monthly tickets except for the symbol, which was a sunflower. I examined one of the cards and asked them how the system worked. Their leader said that a monthly payment, which he collects from the members, is made to the ticket checker at the station from where a salesman will board. Say, a salesman will board at Bolpur and travel upto Rampurhat and back. Another will board at Bolpur and travel upto Burdwan and back. He is, of course, permitted to get down at any station in between where he is having his regular customers. The amount deposited will vary according to the distance between the two end stations. The salesman will travel smoothly, without any harrassment from the railway authorities because the money is shared by all.
Sainthia is a big business centre, dealing mainly in Sugar, mustard and rice. Truck loads of these commodities are regularly smuggled to Bangladesh. From Sainthia there may be, say five check points before reaching the border. The 'fees' paid to the police and Customs is deposited at Sainthia , for which the driver is given coloured tokens, different colour for each check point. The truck driver simply deposits the respective tokens at the check points as he crosses them. The total operation goes on smoothly and safely. So nice !