Chinese nationals prosecuted over 18,000 smuggled cigarette packs

The Investigation Police Agency under the Ho Chi Minh City Police’s Economic Police Division issued decisions on September 18 to initiate a criminal case and prosecute the four individuals, along with detention orders, on charges of “transportation of prohibited goods.”

The procedural decisions and detention orders were approved by the People’s Procuracy of Region 4.

The case came to light on September 10 when customs officers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport inspected the luggage of four passengers - Lou Shije, Lei Kang, Wang Xiaojin, and He Yuqiang. They were all Chinese nationals. 

The inspection uncovered 1,793 cartons of cigarettes bearing the Peony and Chungwa brands. Each carton contained 10 packs, bringing the total amount seized to 17,930 packs.

Authorities subsequently determined that the cigarettes had been illegally imported into Vietnam. As the case showed signs of a criminal offence, customs authorities transferred the case file to the Investigation Police Agency of the Ho Chi Minh City Police for further handling under its jurisdiction.

Initial investigations found that the four had been hired to transport the cigarettes from Vietnam abroad for CNY800-1,000 (about US$112-140) per trip. Their air tickets and accommodation in Vietnam were also covered.

On September 10, the four went to Column No. 10 at Terminal 2 of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, where they received luggage containing the cigarettes from an unidentified person before checking it in for their flight.

They admitted knowing that the luggage had contained smuggled cigarettes.

Chinese national arrested following convenience store robbery in Hai Phong

VOV.VN - A 41-year-old Chinese man has been arrested after holding a store clerk at knifepoint in the northern port city of Hai Phong and fleeing across multiple provinces, local police said on September 3.