Market Management Team No. 1 of Quang Ninh Province's Market Management Department is investigating those involved in the discovery of nearly 48,000 smuggled goods in Mong Cai.
On 8/10, authorities inspected a warehouse within the Dong Tam Trading Joint Stock Company compound in Mong Cai Ward 2. They uncovered 47,127 smuggled products of unknown origin, with an estimated value of over 1.2 billion VND.
The warehouse lease was under the name of Do Van Quang, who had passed away almost two weeks prior to the inspection.
 |
Market Management officials inspect goods at the warehouse in Mong Cai. Photo: Xuan Hoa |
Market Management officials inspect goods at the warehouse in Mong Cai. Photo: Xuan Hoa
Pham Van Cong (Mr. Quang's brother-in-law) stated that his brother-in-law leased the warehouse from 1/6 to a Chinese individual named A PIN for storage. Mr. Cong confirmed the goods did not belong to his family.
Authorities examined the warehouse's computer system and management software, identifying it as a key link in a new type of smuggling operation. Goods were imported from the Chinese e-commerce platform 1688.com, then transported to the Mong Cai warehouse as a transit point. From there, orders were processed through various TikTok accounts and shipped to buyers in Vietnam.
The entire warehouse operation was managed by Chinese-language software, developed and remotely controlled by a Chinese individual. This system was not integrated with any Vietnamese management systems. Vietnamese employees at the warehouse only printed pre-generated waybills and transferred them to the shipping company.
Preliminary data revealed transactions dating back to 15/2, with a total turnover of approximately 12 million CNY (over 42 billion VND). However, due to the foreign-language data and closed operating mechanism, authorities have not yet identified the associated TikTok accounts, the total quantity of goods sold, or the illicit profits.
Quang Ninh Market Management Bureau considers this a sophisticated smuggling method, exploiting social media and technology to create an anonymous, cross-border system. The use of a deceased Vietnamese lessee complicates the investigation and identification of the true perpetrators.
Le Tan
