More than half of Vietnam's officially imported rough diamonds originated from India during the first six months of 2026, customs authorities said, amid heightened public attention following the dismantling of an alleged transnational diamond smuggling ring.
The Customs Department released import data and outlined regulatory procedures for diamond imports after police in Thanh Hoa Province recently uncovered a cross-border smuggling network involving thousands of diamonds.
According to the department, rough diamonds may only be imported from countries participating in the Kimberley Process (KP) certification scheme. Every shipment must be accompanied by a valid KP certificate issued by the competent authority in the exporting country and must comply with Vietnam's customs declaration requirements.
Customs officials are responsible for examining documentation, inspecting shipments, issuing confirmation certificates for imported rough diamonds and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.
The department said customs clearance is carried out on the basis of import declarations, Kimberley Process certificates and other supporting documents required under Vietnamese law.
Vietnam imported diamonds worth USD 241.2 million in 2025. During the first half of 2026, imports totalled approximately USD 121.5 million.
India remained the country's largest supplier, with exports to Vietnam valued at USD 63.2 million, accounting for more than half of Vietnam's total diamond import value during the period.
Belgium ranked second with nearly USD 18 million, followed by Israel with USD 9.2 million and Botswana with USD 7.7 million.
Other notable suppliers included Thailand with USD 5.1 million, the United States with USD 3.6 million, Hong Kong with USD 2.8 million, Japan with USD 2.7 million, China with USD 2.3 million, and Mauritius with USD 1.7 million.
Compared with 2025, the overall structure of Vietnam's diamond imports has changed little, with India and Belgium remaining the two dominant suppliers.
However, imports from Israel and Thailand rose sharply during the first half of 2026, already exceeding their total export values for the whole of 2025, suggesting a shift in Vietnam's sourcing of diamonds.
Earlier, investigators in Thanh Hoa Province charged 22 suspects in connection with an alleged transnational diamond smuggling operation and seized around 1,100 diamonds.
Police estimate that diamonds already sold through the network generated revenue of approximately VND 280 billion (USD 10.7 million).
