Dapale Alkesh Kashinath at the court on September 5
Kashinath, who had worked for the Mumbai-based Sun Rays Company since 2017 with a monthly salary of approximately 25,000 rupees (VND 7.5 million, USD 296), was employed by owner Pratik Kirit Mehta to traffic diamonds. He was reportedly paid 10,000 rupees (approximately USD 119) for each delivery from India to Vietnam.
On October 25, 2024, Kashinath carried 350 diamonds from India to Hong Kong, collected another 12 stones there, and then flew to Vietnam via Tan Son Nhat Airport without declaring the diamonds to customs.
An appraisal concluded that the 362 stones were natural diamonds, with a total value of nearly VND 8.5 billion (approximately USD 336,000).
Authorities said Kashinath had made six to seven similar trips between April 2024 and his arrest, delivering diamonds to various clients in Vietnam. However, as he kept no records of the recipients, investigators could not pursue charges against other parties.
