The actions of Sa, 45, and Nguyen Minh Tri, 25, are outlined in the indictment completed by the Supreme People's Procuracy and transferred along with the case file to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court for trial on smuggling charges. Sa is currently a fugitive and will be tried in absentia.
12 other defendants are being prosecuted in the same case, including 5 directors and several gold shop owners in Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces.
The indictment states that, taking advantage of the price difference between Vietnamese and international gold, and the high demand for gold in Vietnam, the defendants in Long An, An Giang, Ca Mau, and Ho Chi Minh City colluded to organize two smuggling rings totaling 113 kg of gold, worth 252 billion VND. Sa organized a smuggling ring through the An Giang border area with 36 kg of gold, worth nearly 80 billion VND. Nguyen Minh Tri organized the smuggling of 77 kg of gold through the Long An border area, worth over 172 billion VND.
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Some of the defendants in the case. Photo: Ministry of Public Security |
Some of the defendants in the case. Photo: Ministry of Public Security
Around 12/2024, Sa learned that Nguyen Huu Nghia, who had rice fields in the border area and frequently crossed the Cambodian border (via Vinh Te canal), hired him to transport USD to Cambodia to deliver to Xay or Map (unidentified individuals), and then receive gold to bring back to Vietnam.
Nghia hid the gold under the motor of the boat to avoid detection. After bringing the gold back to Vietnam, he transferred it to his wife, Le Thi Kim Xuyen, who then gave it to two accomplices to deliver to gold shops in An Giang, Ca Mau, and Ho Chi Minh City.
After successfully transporting and selling 24 kg of gold (worth over 53 billion VND), on 17/12/2024, Nghia was caught by the An Giang Border Guard while transporting 12 kg (worth over 26 billion VND) from Cambodia.
During the investigation, authorities identified Sa as the mastermind of this ring, but he has absconded, and his profits remain undetermined. Other accomplices claimed they had not been paid by Sa.
77 kg of gold bars and 6.7 million USD were found in fish containers.
In the smuggling ring led by Nguyen Minh Tri, the indictment states that Tri worked as a fish trader across the border. Through his connections, Tri knew Van Hear (a Cambodian, unidentified), a gold bar supplier in Cambodia, and was hired by him to transport the gold to Vietnam for sale.
Tri took advantage of his frequent fish transport to Cambodia to conceal gold and USD across the border undetected. Initially, Tri personally went to Cambodia to receive the gold. Around 12/2024, he hired someone to drive a three-wheeled cart carrying fish containers with hidden USD to Cambodia to meet Van Hear's people, exchange the money for gold.
From the 6th to the 17th of 12/2024, Tri agreed with Van Hear to buy 77 kg of gold, totaling over 172 billion VND. After crossing the border of (former) Long An province, the goods would be handed over to Cao Van Chuc to be transported to Ho Chi Minh City, then transferred to Nguyen Chi Khoa (29 kg in total, worth nearly 65 billion VND), and Pham Ngoc Thang would receive 48 kg (over 107 billion VND).
Tri was identified as the mastermind, profiting nearly 27,000 USD (over 652 million VND). Sang and Chuc were accomplices who assisted but had not been paid by Tri.
In addition to the gold smuggled in this case, several gold shop owners stated they had purchased goods from Sa multiple times, but investigators have not yet found evidence to verify these claims.
During the investigation, the defendants confessed to their actions, and some have returned their illegal profits.
Hai Duyen
