Police bust smuggling ring at Chinese border

The Criminal Investigation Police Department under Vietnam’s Public Security Ministry said Monday that it had cooperated with police in the northern mountainous province of Lang Son, which borders China, to crack down on a large-scale smuggling ring.

On Friday night, 22 Vietnamese and two foreigners, whose nationalities have not been revealed, were caught transporting 100 tons of goods, including Chinese traditional medicine, car accessories and home appliances, in seven trucks. They were stopped at the border gate in Cao Loc District.

Police are investigating the smuggling ring further.

For many years now, smuggling has been rampant and shown no sign of abating despite efforts to stem it, especially in border areas.

Smugglers take advantage of remote locations to transport their goods along hidden trails and small streams sheltered by the forest, according to the National Steering Committee 389, the government's anti-smuggling body.

Essential consumer products including cosmetics and supplements, heavily taxed goods such as tobacco and wine, and banned goods such as drugs, petrol, gas, elephant ivory and rhino horn are among the most smuggled, the committee has said.

Recently, the Ministry of Public Security asked local police to increase the frequency of patrols to curb smuggling and black credit crimes to ensure safety before and during the upcoming Lunar New Year, or Tet, the country’s biggest and most important holiday which will peak in early February.