The seven gold bars seized from a Hong Kong man at Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport and his passport, Oct. 18, 2024. Photo by Read/Thu Huong
A Hong Kong male passenger was apprehended at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport after attempting to smuggle 7 kg of gold into Vietnam, concealing the bars in his shoes and waistband.
The incident was uncovered by Noi Bai customs officials at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, after the passenger arrived on flight UO550 from Hong Kong.
The man admitted to being hired to transport seven gold bars, weighing about 7 kg in total, from Hong Kong to Vietnam for a fee of US$100 per bar. He was expected to meet someone at Noi Bai Airport to deliver the goods.
The suspect and the evidence were handed over to Hanoi police for further investigation.
A leader from the Noi Bai Customs Department noted that, due to ongoing gold price hikes, the department has intensified efforts to prevent smuggling and fraudulent activities. The identification of this suspect was made possible through screening information from the entry-exit passenger management software.
Earlier, on Oct. 5, customs authorities at the airport intercepted another man hiding 3 kg of gold, worth VND6 billion (US$242,400), in his shoes and private area. In a separate case, 3 kg of gold was found concealed on a suspect’s body and in their luggage.
Gold prices in Vietnam have increased steadily since June, now reaching VND86 million (US$3,417.45) per tael. A tael equals 37.5 grams or 1.2 ounces.
