>> PM orders crackdown on smuggling before Tet
>> Domestic goods struggling against fake products
A passenger train filled with tonnes of smuggled goods was discovered by police yesterday, January 6.
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| Goods busted at Gia Lam Station |
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| One suspect was arrested |
The train, named Dong Dang 4, had just arrived at Gia Lam Station from the northern border province of Lang Son when it was stopped.
Up to four carriages had their seats removed to facilitate the transport of several tonnes of illegally trafficked goods such as clothes, cosmetics, auto parts and other items, apparently smuggled into the country for the upcoming Lunar New Year.
When police blockaded the train, the suspects shouted to accomplices for help, removing the goods from the train. Some even threw stones at the officers. Two of the suspects were arrested, but even after they were apprehended, the accomplices closely followed the train in hopes of retrieving the goods.
Due to the large volume of this seizure, until 2:00 a.m on January 7, the police and concerned agencies were able to load the goods, and are in the process of a more thorough investigation.
Lang Son Province has long been a hot spot for smuggling in Vietnam. In the first 11 months of last year, provincial customs officials reported 431 cases of illegal transport. The quantity of confiscated goods totalled an estimated VND4.5 billion (USD225,000).
Recently, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has stepped up the fight against illicit trade and fraud in the period leading up to Tet.
