On the afternoon of 19/9, Nguyen Hoang Sa (45 years old, currently a fugitive) was sentenced in absentia by the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City to 12 years in prison. Nguyen Minh Tri (25 years old) received a 13-year sentence for smuggling.
Five gold shop owners from various provinces and seven other accomplices received sentences ranging from 3 years probation to 9 years imprisonment.
The court ordered the confiscation of the value equivalent to the 113 kg of gold (worth approximately 252 billion VND). This amount, to be offset by the gold already seized, will be remitted to the state treasury. Tri was also ordered to forfeit an additional 75 billion VND (equivalent to 34 kg of gold).
According to the court, Sa's absence indicates his forfeiture of the right to participate in the trial. However, the prosecuting authorities ensured he had legal representation, safeguarding his rights.
During the investigation and trial, the defendants admitted their guilt, consistent with the case files and related documents. Tri and Sa, identified as the masterminds, received harsher sentences than those who provided assistance.
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The defendants in the 113 kg gold smuggling ring. Photo: Hai Duyen |
The defendants in the 113 kg gold smuggling ring. Photo: Hai Duyen
The verdict established that the defendants exploited the price difference between Vietnamese and international gold markets, capitalizing on the high domestic demand for gold for business and personal use. They collaborated with individuals in Cambodia to establish two smuggling operations.
In 12/2024, Sa, aware of Nguyen Huu Nghia's rice paddy bordering Cambodia and his frequent crossings of the Vinh Te Canal, hired Nghia to transport USD to Xay or Map (identities unknown). Nghia would then receive gold and bring it back to Vietnam. He concealed the gold within the engine of his boat, and subsequently gave it to his wife, Le Thi Kim Xuyen, who then transferred it to accomplices for delivery to gold shops in An Giang, Ca Mau, and Ho Chi Minh City. Nghia successfully smuggled 24 kg of gold (over 53 billion VND) before his arrest on 17/12/2024 with an additional 12 kg of gold (26 billion VND).
The second operation was led by Nguyen Minh Tri. Tri, a fish trader operating across the border, became acquainted with Van Hear (Cambodian nationality, identity unknown), a supplier of gold bars. Tri was hired to transport the gold to Vietnam. Exploiting his frequent fish transport activities, he concealed gold and USD across the border. Initially, he transported the gold himself, but by the end of 2024, he hired a three-wheeled vehicle to carry containers of fish concealing USD to Cambodia in exchange for gold.
Between 6/12/2024 and 17/12/2024, Tri purchased 77 kg of gold (172 billion VND) from Van Hear. He entrusted Cao Van Chuc with transporting 29 kg (65 billion VND) to Ho Chi Minh City for Nguyen Chi Khoa, while Pham Ngoc Thang received 48 kg (107 billion VND). Tri, identified as the mastermind, profited nearly 27,000 USD (652 million VND).
Hai Duyen
