tea money
n.— «While Vietnam operates in a very centralized, federalist system, with little variance in local laws, a much greater variance exists in the application and enforcement of national laws. “Tea money,” common parlance for bribes, is a regular cost of doing business and manifests itself in every facet of life, from dealing with traffic cops to dealing with higher-ranking government officials.» —“Day 3 in Saigon” by Tommy Perkins in Vietnam Hot Freaks and Other Roadside Attractions (Austin, Texas) Mar. 9, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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