A new smuggling tactic has been discovered.

A shipment of medical equipment was being processed for transit to Cambodia via the Xa Mat border gate when it was inspected, discovered, and seized by authorities.

On May 3rd, the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch announced that it had coordinated with the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department – ​​General Department of Customs, the Anti-Smuggling Police Department (C74) – Ministry of Public Security, and the Economic and Official Crime Investigation Police Department (PC46) – Ho Chi Minh City Police to track and detect a shipment of used CT scanners (declared as 100% new, originating from Japan) consisting of 10 packages, weighing 5.7 tons, and valued at over 3.2 billion VND.

Reportedly, this shipment was in transit to Cambodia via the Xa Mat border gate when it was inspected, discovered, and seized by authorities.

Used medical equipment is an item on the list of prohibited imports into Vietnam. The Con Ong Transport and Logistics Joint Stock Company, located at 39B Truong Son Street, Ward 4, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, managed by Mr. Dinh Huu Thanh, 42 years old, residing at Zone 4, Cam Thuong Ward, Hai Duong City, declared the imported goods as 100% new during transit procedures to evade obtaining a permit from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Recently, some individuals have been exploiting the transit route to Cambodia for smuggling – a new smuggling tactic. Customs authorities have intensified inspections and controls along this route, continuously detecting and apprehending numerous smuggling cases. In some instances, smugglers broke seals and swapped goods during transit, smuggling them into the country for consumption. Alternatively, goods transported to Cambodia were then smuggled back into Vietnam via land routes between Cambodia and provinces like Tay Ninh, An Giang, or Binh Phuoc, for sale.

A few days earlier, the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch also issued a decision to prosecute Olympic Science and Technology Co., Ltd., located at 1/54 Lu Gia Street, Ward 15, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City, for smuggling. The company's director, Mr. Nguyen Kien Hung, 30 years old, residing at 423 Hamlet 1, Gia Rai Town, Gia Rai District, Bac Lieu Province, organized the import of a shipment of 50 electrocardiogram (ECG) machines, falsely declaring the goods to evade obtaining an import license from the Ministry of Health. The value of the shipment exceeded 500 million VND.

According to cand.com.vn