Goods smuggling discovered at Moc Bai border gate

On May 12, 2016, customs staff at the gate found three Cambodian citizens carrying US$70,700 and VND13 million (US$585) into Vietnam without producing customs declaration forms for the amounts. 

Two day later, customs staff and border armed forces working at the gate seized 0.66 kg of heroin and six bullets when checking a motorbike driven by a Cambodian man. The man fled when he was stopped for checking. 

The competent forces arrested and commenced criminal proceedings against the three Cambodians who were captured carrying the undeclared money. And all exhibits from the two cases were handed over to the province’s police for further investigation. 

According to Vice Director of the Customs Department at the Moc Bai Border Gate Nguyen Du Duc, smuggling and trade fraud across the province's border has seen an increase, especially at the border gate. 

He attributed the situation to the activities of casinos and dance halls in Cambodia, which are situated only 500 metres from the border, saying that these create the conditions for drug and weapon trafficking, commercial fraud and illegal money transport. 

In addition, around 100 trans-border coaches and 400 trucks pass through the border gate every day.

Several enterprises have taken advantage of Vietnam’s open policies for exporting and importing goods to smuggled commodities and contraband into Vietnam, and evade taxation.