The General Department of Vietnam Customs said the smuggling attempt was detected through risk control measures, baggage screening and passenger profiling.
Four passengers caught smuggling gold into Vietnam on March 3 (Photo: Customs).
At about 9.40 am on March 3, at terminal 2 of Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, customs officials identified four passengers who had not made customs declarations and whose luggage showed suspicious anomalies during screening.
Customs officers, working with the anti-smuggling investigation department, Noi Bai border police and Hanoi police’s PC03 economic and corruption crime unit, carried out a detailed search of the passengers and their baggage.
The inspection found that one of the four passengers had concealed 10 pieces of suspected gold weighing about 5 kilogrammes. The second was carrying five pieces weighing around 1.1 kilogrammes.
The third was found with nine pieces weighing approximately 3.5 kilogrammes, while the fourth was carrying seven pieces weighing about 2.7 kilogrammes.
Investigators said most of the suspected gold bars had been hidden in bras and underwear.
Given the suspected criminal nature of the case, the four individuals and the seized items were transferred to Hanoi police’s PC03 unit for further investigation and handling in accordance with regulations.
Authorities said the seized items are undergoing verification to confirm whether they are gold and to determine their value. Further details will be released once the assessment is completed.