The Ministry of Public Security's investigation concluded that Sa, 45, and Tri, 25, should be prosecuted for smuggling and has submitted the case to the Supreme People's Procuracy. Sa is currently a fugitive and will be tried in absentia.
Twelve other suspects, including several gold shop owners in Ho Chi Minh City, are also being prosecuted in connection with the case.
The investigation found that, exploiting the price difference between domestic and international gold markets, as well as the high demand for gold in Vietnam, the suspects in Long An, An Giang, Ca Mau, and Ho Chi Minh City established two smuggling rings. These rings trafficked a total of 113 kg of gold, valued at 252 billion VND. Nguyen Hoang Sa's ring smuggled 36 kg of gold, worth nearly 80 billion VND, through An Giang province. Nguyen Minh Tri's ring smuggled 77 kg, worth over 172 billion VND, through Long An province.
In December 2024, Sa arranged to purchase 36 kg of gold from Cambodia. He tasked Nguyen Huu Nghia with receiving the gold and transporting it across the border into An Giang province, Vietnam, where it was handed over to Le Thi Kim Xuyen.
Xuyen then gave the gold to two accomplices who transported it to An Giang, Ca Mau, and Ho Chi Minh City for distribution to gold shop owners. After successfully smuggling and selling 24 kg, worth over 53 billion VND, Nghia was apprehended by the An Giang Border Guard on 17/12/2024 while transporting another 12 kg, worth over 26 billion VND, from Cambodia.
Sa is identified as the mastermind of this ring but remains at large. Consequently, investigators have not determined his profits. His accomplices claim they were not paid.
The investigation into the Long An smuggling ring revealed that between 6/12/2024 and 17/12/2024, Nguyen Minh Tri arranged to buy 77 kg of gold, worth over 172 billion VND, from Van Hear (a Cambodian national). Tri tasked Nguyen Van Sang with retrieving the gold from Cambodia and smuggling it into Vietnam.
After crossing the border into Long An, the gold was handed over to Cao Van Chuc for transport to Ho Chi Minh City. 29 kg (nearly 65 billion VND) went to Nguyen Chi Khoa, and 48 kg (over 107 billion VND) went to Pham Ngoc Thang.
Tri, the mastermind of this operation, profited nearly 27,000 USD (over 652 million VND). Sang and Chuc, his accomplices, were not paid for their assistance.
In addition to the gold seized in this case, several gold shop owners admitted to purchasing gold from Sa on multiple occasions, but investigators have not yet been able to verify these claims.
During the investigation, the suspects confessed to their crimes, and some have surrendered their illicit gains.
Hai Duyen
