On June 24, MPS spokesperson Lieutenant General To An Xo confirmed that the units of the ministry successfully dismantled a smuggling ring involving large quantities of gold in the province of Quang Tri.

The ring was led by Nguyen Thi Hoa. It specialized in carrying gold from Laos to Vietnam. Initial investigations found that since 2022, Hoa, in Quang Tri province, together with accomplices, ran a ring which has smuggled over 3 tons of gold valued at VND5 trillion, from Laos to Vietnam via the border gate of Lao Bao in the province. The gold, after being brought to Vietnam, was sold to goldsmith shops for profit.

The MPS Investigation Police Agency issued a decision to prosecute Phu Quy Gold JSC and relevant units in the criminal case of smuggling and evading tax, which occurred at the Lao Bao Border Gate.

The investigation agency also issued a decision to prosecute the accused and apply preventive measures against Nguyen Thi Hoa and 17 other subjects for the crime of smuggling. 

One year ago, in September 2022, the Economic Police Department coordinated with professional units of MPS, HCM City and Tay Ninh Police to detect another smuggling ring that was illegally transporting gold and foreign currencies across the Vietnam-Cambodia border.

On September 27-28 alone, the ring illegally imported 198 kilograms of gold. Agencies then found the instigator, carriers and distributors. In September 2022, the agencies seized 103 kilograms of gold, more than 2.8 millions of dollars and VND26.7 billion, and relevant means and material evidence.

MPS affirmed that the smuggling ring was large, had been organized for a long time with many subjects, and had occurred in many cities and provinces. The subjects set up closed rings, collecting foreign currencies in Vietnam and bringing them to Cambodia, where they sold foreign currencies and brought them to Vietnam for sale.

As  a province with about 100 kilometers of border line with Cambodia, two international border gates and many tracks in the forests, An Giang is also a land for smuggling, especially the smuggling of gold and foreign currencies across borders.

In early 2022, the An Giang Police caught Nguyen Thanh Binh, 57 in Long Xuyen City and Trang Kien Tuong, 46, in Chau Doc City conducting the behavior of smuggling gold. At that time, the police seized 3 bars of gold, $170,000 dollars and VND700 million.

After the spot check at the related gold shop and some other points, the police seized 15 kilograms of gold jewelry, 2.1 million dollars and some other currencies.

Doan Bong