The individual, a Taiwanese national, arrived in Hanoi on the morning of June 25 on Vietnam Airlines flight VN579 from Taiwan. Customs officers flagged the passenger for further inspection during routine luggage screening.
The gold-like metal hidden in the camera lenses
Travelling with only a single black carry-on suitcase, the passenger was found to be concealing nearly two kilogrammes of gold-like metal inside four camera lenses. Two lenses contained two pieces, while the other two held four pieces each.
The discovery is part of an ongoing crackdown on smuggling at Noi Bai. In line with directives from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, authorities have intensified risk profiling of high-risk passengers and flights, coordinated with airlines to access passenger lists from flagged countries, and stepped up luggage screening.
Several gold smuggling attempts have been intercepted at the airport in recent months. The latest case remains under investigation.