Hong Kong-Vietnam gold smuggling ring, 8,000 taels, busted

Hanoi police have dismantled a ring transporting and trading approximately 300 kg, or 8,000 taels, of gold, valued at 1,200 billion VND, from Hong Kong to Vietnam.

On 19/5, Hanoi City Police announced that the Investigative Police Agency had prosecuted seven individuals, including five Chinese nationals, on smuggling charges. This case represents the largest gold smuggling ring dismantled in Hanoi to date.

Exhibits seized. Photo: Police provided

The investigation began in October 2025 when police uncovered a large-scale gold smuggling operation running from Hong Kong, China, into Vietnam. After six months of surveillance, authorities apprehended the suspects red-handed while they were trading raw gold in Bo De ward, Hanoi. Five kg of gold bars and other related exhibits were seized at the scene.

Preliminary investigations identified a Chinese national as the ringleader. Upon receiving customer orders, the group smuggled gold from Hong Kong into Vietnam, cleverly disguising it within shipments of electronic equipment to evade detection by authorities.

In Vietnam, Do Minh Duc, 38, residing in Bac Ninh, was recruited as the primary contact for receiving the gold. Having previously studied in China and being fluent in Chinese, Duc was tasked with acting as an intermediary, organizing couriers, and delivering the gold to the Chinese group.

Duc confessed he knew the gold was smuggled but continued his criminal activities due to the high monthly payment, ranging from 150 to 200 million VND.

Suspects arrested. Photo: Police provided

To avoid detection, the ring transported goods through multiple transit stages. After receiving shipments, the Chinese group quickly extracted the disguised gold, cleaned it with chemicals, then melted and cast it into raw gold bars for delivery to customers in Bac Ninh and Hanoi.

All funds from the gold transactions were transferred to Duc. Upon receiving money from customers, Duc used it to purchase virtual currency (USDT), which he then transferred to various accounts as instructed by the Chinese mastermind.

Police determined the raw gold was sold on the market for over 4 billion VND per kg. Preliminary findings indicate that from March until their arrest, the ring had transported and traded approximately 300 kg of gold, or about 8,000 taels, with an estimated value of 1,200 billion VND.