Authorities busted a smuggling ring that was selling iPhones worth 20 billion VND via air transport.
The couple colluded with aircraft maintenance personnel to smuggle hundreds of iPhones from overseas via the airport.
On October 8th, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigation Agency announced that a smuggling ring dealing in iPhones worth over 20 billion VND from abroad to Vietnam had been dismantled.
To date, the Investigative Police Agency has initiated legal proceedings and temporarily detained the couple Nguyen Anh Tuan (33 years old) and Nguyen Thi Thuy Nga (29 years old, both residing in Binh Tan district) on charges of "smuggling".
The police also charged Le Van Ngoc (43 years old, residing in Go Vap district) with the same crime.
Reportedly, Ngoc is a technical employee of Vietnam Aircraft Engineering Company Limited (VAECO), a subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines Corporation, responsible for aircraft maintenance at Tan Son Nhat Airport.
Tuan transported 12 iPhone 12 Pro Max phones from Thailand to Vietnam via Tan Son Nhat Airport without declaring them, and was discovered by the Customs Sub-department at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Upon investigation, the Ho Chi Minh City Police initiated a criminal case and charged Tuan with "Smuggling".
During the expanded investigation, the Police Investigation Agency determined that Tuan and his accomplices had smuggled more than 600 iPhone 14 Pro Max phones, worth nearly 20 billion VND, from Thailand to Vietnam via Tan Son Nhat Airport.
In that case, Tuan was connected with Le Van Ngoc.
Specifically, Ngoc provided Tuan with the aircraft maintenance schedule she was performing so he could book a flight to bring the goods back on one of Ngoc's scheduled maintenance flights. When the plane landed and passengers were disembarking, Ngoc would also move to the tarmac, board the aircraft, and perform maintenance duties.
Ngoc received Tuan's package at the boarding gate as previously arranged and put it into her tool bag. After completing her aircraft maintenance duties, Ngoc used the domestic terminal to exit the airport, avoiding customs control.
Ngoc delivered the phones to Tuan's accomplices in the area outside the airport. Ngoc received a payment of 900,000 VND per phone.
Investigators determined that Ngoc received over 500 million VND to assist Tuan and his accomplices in smuggling.
In addition, Tuan's wife, Nguyen Thi Thuy Nga, actively assisted in his smuggling activities.
