Key Points:
·Hanoi police in Vietnam have busted a smuggling case involving nearly 400 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately $153,000) worth of e-cigarettes, seizing a total of 127,000 smuggled products including various e-cigarette liquids and smoking accessories.
·Fourteen suspects have been charged by police with illegally selling prohibited goods.
·The smuggling ring targeted young customers, including students, as their main sales demographic.
·Authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation into e-cigarette trading activities on social media platforms.
【2Firsts News Flash】According to a report by VTVOnline on July 23, the Hanoi city police recently successfully busted a large-scale e-cigarette smuggling network and charged 14 suspects with "trafficking in prohibited goods." The authorities seized a total of 127,000 smuggled products, including various e-cigarette liquids and smoking accessories, with a total value of nearly 40 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately $153,000).
This is the largest scale smuggling case uncovered in Hanoi since the e-cigarette ban took effect. Preliminary investigations indicate that this group mainly imports e-cigarette products from China and disperses them in multiple locations to evade detection. They distribute these products through secret groups on social networks, targeting primarily young people, including many students.
The arrested individuals come from various provinces and cities in Vietnam. The leader of the group is responsible for importing smuggled goods from overseas and coordinating distribution with other members. According to the investigation, the monthly profit can reach hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong. The main suspect, born in 1991, accumulated experience over the years operating e-cigarette, and admitted to entering this line of business to cater to the demand of young people because the profits are higher compared to other products.
The police handling the case stated that these suspects did not personally participate in the exchange of goods, but instead used third-party logistics and courier services. They did not disclose personal information on the orders, and even filled out false shipping and receiving addresses to avoid exposure. Another suspect revealed that the goods are often labeled as "consumer goods" or "perfume, cosmetics," etc. to deceive others.
Hanoi police stated that the suspects will face a prison sentence of 7 to 15 years. The quality and origin of the various e-cigarette liquids they were selling are unknown, and may have adverse effects on users' health. Currently, the authorities are conducting further investigations and cracking down on other e-cigarette trading activities on social media.
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