In a major campaign, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch (Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department) in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh City Economic Police Department discovered and seized more than 1,000 smuggled diamonds in just three days.
Foreigners will be investigated for "illegally transporting goods across the border" - Photo: Provided by Customs
Two major air cargo diamond smuggling cases involving a total of 1,078 stones demonstrate increased vigilance and strict risk management measures by customs forces, focusing on high-risk items such as gold, diamonds and gemstones.
Both cases were brought into Vietnam by two Indian men, via Tan Son Nhat airport, within a week of October 2024. The first case carried 716 diamonds, the second case carried 362 diamonds.
Seized more than 1,000 diamonds 'flying' into Vietnam via Tan Son Nhat airport
Accordingly, at 6:30 p.m. on October 25, a team from Tan Son Nhat Customs, along with the Ho Chi Minh City Economic Police Department, the Southern Anti-Smuggling Control Team (Team 3) and Tan Binh District Police arrested a suspect carrying 362 diamonds hidden in a candy box.
The suspect, identified as Mr. DAK, an Indian national who entered the country from Hong Kong, had cleverly hidden diamonds under layers of candy in an attempt to deceive the authorities. Through luggage screening, customs officers discovered suspicious images and conducted a thorough inspection.
"The way to hide hundreds of diamonds is very sophisticated, put them at the bottom of two candy boxes, covered with real candy on top, then carefully packaged like normal candy boxes, to deceive authorities at the airport," said a representative of the customs agency.
Police are investigating the subject who hid diamonds in checked and carry-on luggage.
This arrest followed another major incident on October 23, when Tan Son Nhat Customs discovered Mr. PSH, also an Indian citizen, carrying 716 diamonds. The diamonds were hidden in plastic bags in his personal luggage and labeled IGI, stored in a wallet mixed with his personal belongings.
Mr. PSH admitted to transporting these diamonds from India to deliver to customers in Vietnam without declaring them to customs and that these were natural and synthetic diamonds.
The total value of the seized diamonds is estimated at tens of billions of dong. Both cases have been transferred to the Ho Chi Minh City Economic Police Department for further investigation and handling according to regulations.
More than 1,000 diamonds entered the country without declaring to customs at Tan Son Nhat International Airport
After successfully transporting the diamonds, the subject will resell them to Vietnamese owners in Ho Chi Minh City to make illegal profits.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hon-1-000-vien-kim-cuong-bi-thu-giu-tai-san-bay-tan-son-nhat-trong-vong-3-ngay-20241030135338832.htm
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