Transporting 34,200 packs of smuggled cigarettes by express delivery

Previously, on April 24, the interdisciplinary inspection team No. 2 of the Steering Committee 389 of Hanoi City suddenly inspected the 2nd floor of building No. 172 Lang Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi, which is the headquarters of EMS Postal Express Joint Stock Company.

During the inspection, the authorities discovered a man with suspicious signs transporting 9 cardboard boxes from EMS Company to the outside. Upon administrative inspection, it was found that the 9 cardboard boxes contained 8,300 packs of foreign-made cigarettes, without invoices or documents proving their origin and import stamps as required. The subject was identified as Nguyen Van Luyen, the owner of the smuggled cigarettes.

Continuing to search the warehouse of EMS Company, the authorities discovered 11,300 packs of foreign-made cigarettes contained in 16 cardboard boxes, the bill of lading on the packages stated the owner was Nguyen Huy Dong.

At the police station, Luyen confessed that he bought these cigarettes from Nguyen Huy Dong (residing in Ho Chi Minh City) at an average price of 10 million VND/box.

Whenever he needed goods, Luyen would contact Dong to make a transaction. The goods were shipped by Dong from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi via EMS express delivery service, by rail, to the post office at 172 Lang Street, Hanoi.

Smuggled cigarettes are transported via express delivery.

Immediately after receiving the goods, Luyen will transfer the money to Dong’s bank account. Luyen has been trading cigarettes with Dong since February 2018. On average, there are about 2-3 trips per week.

After buying cigarettes from Dong, Luyen sold them to Mr. Thuong in Nghia Do, Cau Giay district. Luyen brought the goods to a place in Nghia Do park, then showed Thuong where to pick them up and paid by bank transfer.

Luyen also confessed that Dong had directed him to transport smuggled foreign cigarettes for Vu Viet Trung (born in 1982, residing on Ton Duc Thang Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi). Searching Trung's house, the authorities seized 3,170 packs of various types of cigarettes and 875 foreign-made cigars.

Trung khai had traded directly with Luyen about 2-3 times, each time importing 300-400 packs of cigarettes.

Along with the emergency arrest of Nguyen Van Luyen and Vu Viet Trung, and the temporary detention of 34,238 packs of cigarettes and 875 cigars, the authorities also expanded the investigation to verify Nguyen Huy Dong in Ho Chi Minh City and related subjects.