Prosecute criminal case of smuggling 4 tons of techicai sitan wood

Trunk at the rear end is reinforced for containing smuggled timber. Photo provided by Hoa Lu Customs

Earlier, on 29/5/2017, at Integrated Control Station of Hoa Lu International Border Gate, the working group of Hoa Lu Customs Branch coordinated with competent forces to inspect a bus (license plate of Laos) driven by Phan Van Thong (was born in 1982 and live in Dien Chau district, Nghe An province), Ngo Si Vinh (was born in 1995), Nguyen Dinh Tam (was born in 1986) and Nguyen Van Dung (was born in 1966) have suspected signs of transporting illegal woods.

Through physical inspection, Hoa Lu Customs force discovered in the trunk at the rear end of the bus has 3 buckets which were sealed off by corrugated iron and glass, inside contained 420 sections of a tree trunk with the total weight of 3,919.5 kg. The working group made violation record, seized the exhibits and vehicle.

Smuggled techicai sitan was seized by Hoa Lu Customs Branch.

Additionally, the appraisal results from 2 units Vinacontrol in HCM City and Institute of Crime Technical Science in Da Nang City showed the above woods were techicai sitan wood.

According to primary testimony, the subjects admitted that the above woods were transported from Laos to Vietnam through Hoa Lu International Border Gate for earning profit.

Considering the acts of trading technical sitan wood illegally of those people, it has gathered enough evident to constitute the crime of smuggling. Hence, the Customs Branch issued a decision to prosecute the criminal case. At the same time, they transferred dossiers of the case to Investigation Police Agency – Loc Ninh Police in Binh Phuoc province for investigation in accordance with their competence.