On April 16, the People's Court of Da Nang City opened the first instance trial of Natus Temmaythawittayalert (commonly known as Natus, 23 years old, Thai nationality) for the crime of "Smuggling".
Natus owns a mobile phone store in Udonthani province, Thailand. During the course of business, Natus met a man named Do Rrik (identity unknown).
Around the beginning of September 2023, Do Rrik texted Natus to discuss that he was looking to buy 20 iPhone 15 Pro Max mobile phones, 100% new, delivered in Vietnam.
Because they had a source to buy iPhone 15 Pro Max in large quantities at Apple stores in Thailand, Natus agreed.
Natus bought 20 mobile phones for about 1,058,000 baht, equivalent to about 710 million VND (52,900 baht/phone equivalent to 35.4 million VND/phone).
Natus Temmaythawittayalert at trial.
Natus sold Do Rik each iPhone 15 Pro Max for about 56,000 baht (about 38 million VND), a total of 20 phones for 1,120,000 baht (about 760 million VND). The two parties agreed that Natus would directly bring the phones from Thailand to Vietnam by air and make the transaction in Da Nang City on September 23, 2023.
To avoid customs declaration and tax payment by Vietnam Customs at the airport, following Do Rrik's instructions, Natus opened the seal and kept the phone separate from the phone box.
Specifically, 21 boxes were put into a cardboard box and mixed with candy, covered with cardboard with fixed candy packages, then the lid was closed and sealed with tape, disguising it as a normal candy box.
For 20 mobile phones, wrap them in many layers of nylon and put them together with the accessories, then put them in a backpack.
On September 23, Natus brought 20 iPhone 15 Pro Max phones on Air Asia flight FD 636 from Don Mueang Airport (Thailand) to Da Nang International Airport.
At 12:30 on September 23, Natus arrived at Da Nang International Airport and brought his luggage to the immigration area. To bypass customs, when moving through the screening area, Natus only put the cardboard box and suitcase on the scanner, while still carrying the backpack on his back, without making a customs declaration to evade taxes.
The shipment was discovered by customs.
Through screening and monitoring passengers, it was suspected that Natus was carrying goods that had to be declared at customs but did not declare them, so the customs officers checked and discovered.
In court, Natus stated that he is currently a student and owns a mobile phone business. When someone placed an order, he accepted because he was greedy for profit. The defendant confessed to all his crimes.
After a comprehensive review, the People's Court of Da Nang City sentenced Natus Temmaythawittayalert to 4 years in prison for the crime of "Smuggling".
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