Gold prices increase like a 'storm', making gold smuggling even hotter

The high demand for gold and foreign currency storage, the large difference in domestic gold prices compared to the world prices, has led to an increase in gold smuggling and illegal transportation. As of the morning of November 11, the price of SJC gold was over 20 million VND/tael higher than the world gold price.

The gold was hidden in a very sophisticated camera by the subject.

'Camouflaging' gold as consumer goods

According to information from the Customs Department on November 11, in October 2025, the complicated developments of the world and domestic gold markets with large price differences caused many people to seek ways to smuggle gold into Vietnam.

Smuggling activities usually take place mainly on roads and inland waterways in the southern border areas bordering Cambodia (Tinh Bien, Khanh Binh - An Giang , Bo Y - Gia Lai) and Laos (Lao Bao - Quang Tri).

"The subjects mainly hide gold and money in personal luggage and means of transport; on the air route through Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat international airports, there is a situation of hiding it in the person, in carry-on luggage, especially on flights from Taiwan to Vietnam," said a representative of the Customs Department.

Mr. Phan Quoc Dong, Deputy Head of the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department (Customs Department) said that the main tricks are divided into 3 groups: Hiding gold in luggage, clothes, shoes or personal equipment to deceive the authorities; disguising gold as common consumer goods and taking advantage of the tax exemption policy for passengers entering and exiting the country to transport gold through the border gate.

For example, on June 25, at exit A1 of Noi Bai International Airport, Customs forces discovered passenger CPH (Taiwanese, Chinese nationality) entering the country on flight VN579 carrying 12 pieces of gold-colored metal weighing nearly 2kg, worth more than 5.5 billion VND, cleverly hidden in 4 camera lenses.

Recently, on October 14, also at Noi Bai airport, Customs continued to discover passenger Phung Thi Linh (entering from Taiwan, China) hiding 3 gold bars weighing 892.5 grams, worth about 3.1 billion VND, in her carry-on backpack without declaring to customs.

Or on October 24, at Mong Cai international border gate ( Quang Ninh ), Border Guard forces coordinated with Customs to discover Nguyen Anh Tuan (born in 1995) illegally transporting 8kg of silver hidden in 14 plastic bags inside luggage, thighs and shoes. Tuan confessed that a Chinese woman hired him to transport the goods for a fee of 700,000 VND, receiving the goods at a warehouse near Dong Hung border gate (China).

Mr. Phan Quoc Dong said that in 2024 and the first 9 months of 2025, the Customs force presided over and coordinated with functional forces to arrest 16 cases related to gold, the amount of gold was nearly 30kg. Many cases were prosecuted or transferred to the investigation agency for handling. At some points, the Customs force coordinated closely with the Border Guard to crack down on illegal transportation, seizing the amount of gold up to kilograms.

According to the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention and Control (PCMT&TP), Border Guard Command (BĐBP), from 2024 to now, the Border Guard units have arrested 10 cases/16 subjects, confiscating about 37.76 kg of gold, 268.1 kg of silver, 350,000 NDT, 230,000 USD. Among them, there are some typical cases such as on December 17, 2024, in Vinh Te commune (Chau Doc, An Giang), An Giang Border Guard coordinated with Group 3, PCMT&TP Department to arrest Nguyen Huu Nghia (born 1981) when Nghia was transporting gold from Cambodia to Vietnam, confiscating 12 kg of gold worth more than 26 billion VND.

Tight control of border gates

Customs authorities have deployed a series of strict control measures at border gates; controlled passenger luggage and express delivery goods from key countries.

According to the Department of Anti-Money Laundering and Crime, Border Guard, the gold smuggling and illegal transportation lines are closely connected inside and outside the border. The methods are increasingly sophisticated and organized, that is, operating in a network, dividing the transportation stages; hiding gold on the person, in vehicles, or disguising it in import and export goods.

Not only that, smugglers also take advantage of trade policies and border residents, hiring locals to hide gold and foreign currency in exchange goods and exploit loopholes in patrols and controls to transport goods through trails and openings. The goods are then transferred to domestic businesses, gold shops and handicraft establishments for consumption, increasing the challenge for management and handling.

Mr. Phan Quoc Dong, Deputy Head of the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department (Customs Department) commented that smuggling methods are increasingly sophisticated, forcing functional forces to adapt flexibly and strengthen risk control. In the context of trade, the flow of goods and passengers is increasing sharply through air, road and sea border gates, choosing key inspection points is necessary. However, smugglers take advantage of this, calculating routes to avoid, asking people with good relatives to avoid the supervision of customs and functional forces.

Faced with the increasing risk of smuggling and illegal transportation of gold due to price fluctuations, the Customs Department has recently implemented a series of strict control measures at border gates. The focus is on increasing patrols, post-clearance inspections, screening of high-risk shipments, and control of passenger luggage and express delivery from key countries.

In addition, the Customs will conduct a special inspection of enterprises importing gold for production and export processing to prevent smuggling and policy abuse; at the same time, promote inter-sectoral coordination and information exchange with domestic and foreign agencies to combat cross-border gold smuggling rings.

Responding to the work of combating smuggling and trade fraud, a representative of the Customs Department said that from September 15 to October 14, 2025, the Customs agency detected, arrested and handled 1,793 cases (an increase of 18 cases, equivalent to 1.01% over the same period last year); the value of infringing goods is estimated at VND 1,856 billion. The State budget revenue is approximately VND 46.1 billion.

The Customs Department prosecuted 1 case (down 2 cases, equivalent to 66.7% compared to the same period in 2024), and transferred 7 cases to other agencies for prosecution (down 06 cases, equivalent to 46.1% compared to the same period last year).

Accumulated from December 15, 2024 to October 14, 2025, the Customs authority has detected, arrested and handled 15,121 cases, the value of infringing goods is estimated at VND 19,551 billion; State budget revenue reached: VND 710.33 billion. The Customs authority has prosecuted 16 cases and transferred 100 cases to other agencies for prosecution...

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/phap-luat/gia-vang-tang-nhu-vu-bao-khien-buon-lau-vang-cang-nong-20251111111246209.htm