VietNamNet Bridge – As the lunar New Year approaches, gas, sugar, cigarette, foreign wines, cloth, food, etc. from Cambodia have been streaming into Vietnam through border gates in southwestern provinces.

On the roads of Khanh An, Khanh Binh communes in An Phu district, An Giang province, there are hundreds of motorbikes carrying smuggled sugar. In the river, dozens of boats also carry sugar from Cambodia into Vietnam.

A motorbike driver named Tan, in An Giang, said that he transported sugar from boats to a warehouse in An Giang, where smuggled sugar becomes domestically-produced sugar, with regular vouchers.

He said that boats often work from the afternoon until the early morning of the next day, transporting around 400 sacks of sugar, equivalent to 200 tons, from Cambodia to An Giang each night.

An Giang is the home to dozens of sugar smugglers, who have big warehouses, many boats and hundreds of porters. From these warehouses, smuggled sugar is delivered to many provinces by trucks and motorbikes.

Apart from sugar, smuggling of cigarettes and gas is also a frequent occurrence. On the road from Chau Doc, An Giang province to Can Tho, one can see many motorbikes carrying cigarettes. On average, a motorbike driver carries 300 cartons each time. If they successfully transport the smuggled cigarettes, they will be paid VND100,000 ($5).

Along Vinh Te canal, the section crossing Tinh Bien town, there are 4-5 places where gas is gathered to transport to Cambodia. At present, the gas price in Vietnam is VND500 dong lower than in Cambodia.

From Huu Nghi bridge along Vinh Te canal to Kien Luong district, Kien Giang province, boats carrying smuggled gas run quickly.

“Boats run both day and night. We can’t sleep in the smuggling season,” complained a woman named An, whose house is located on the bank of Vinh Te canal.

The smuggling season, according to Mrs. An is from November to February.

PV