HCMC – A large-scale gold smuggling ring that exploited the wide price gap between Cambodia and Vietnam and used technology along with a scheme of splitting jewelry shipments across the border has been dismantled.
Since the beginning of 2026, the group’s total transaction value is estimated at around VND300 billion.
The Crime Investigation Division under the HCMC Police has recently launched criminal proceedings, filed charges and executed detention orders against Vu Thi Ngoc Anh, born in 1977 and residing in Bac Ninh Province, and Nguyen Duy Tan, born in 1981 and residing in HCMC, on smuggling charges, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
On April 20, authorities at Tan Son Nhat International Airport detected and detained Vu Thi Ngoc Anh while she was completing procedures for a flight to Phu Quoc Island. She was found carrying around 2,221.2 grams of 99.99% purity gold worth nearly VND9.7 billion. During questioning, she admitted the gold had been illegally sourced from Cambodia and brought into Vietnam to be melted down and recast to alter its appearance and conceal its origin before being sold.
Further investigation showed that the operation was an organized criminal network that had been running in a closed-loop structure since early 2026. Members allegedly used the encrypted messaging application to communicate, pool funds and coordinate activities. The smuggling process was carried out through a sophisticated method in which Vietnamese dong was exchanged for U.S. dollars and divided among multiple couriers who carried the cash into Cambodia without customs declarations.
In Phnom Penh (Cambodia), the group used the U.S. dollars to purchase 99.99% purity gold in the form of jewelry, including bracelets and pendants. The gold was then divided into smaller quantities and worn as personal accessories to evade detection at Moc Bai border gate upon re-entry into Vietnam. Once transported to HCMC, the gold was gathered at Nguyen Duy Tan’s residence, where it was melted and recast into larger bars before being distributed in the domestic market.
Investigators said that in less than five months, the ring had successfully carried out around 10 gold shipments from Cambodia to Vietnam. With each shipment valued at roughly VND30 billion, the suspects allegedly earned illicit profits worth tens of billions of dong. HCMC Police are continuing to expand the investigation and identify other individuals involved for legal action.
