Smuggling Gold Into Vietnam Carries Up to 10 Years in Prison. Why Do People Still Try?

On March 3, customs officers at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport stopped four Vietnamese nationals who had just arrived on a flight from Taiwan.

After X-ray screening and body searches, officers found 31 suspected gold bars weighing a total of 12.3 kilograms, all hidden in bras and underwear.

None of the four had filed customs declarations.

If confirmed to be gold, the haul would be worth roughly VND 60 billion (USD 2.3 million).

Customs said the four were flagged through risk profiling and passenger analysis.
The case has been transferred to Hanoi police's economic crime investigation unit (PC03) for criminal proceedings.

The day before, on March 2, customs at the same airport intercepted a passenger arriving from South Korea with 561 grams of suspected gold hidden in underwear.

Background: Vietnam's Gold Prices Are Persistently Higher Than the Global Market

The motive of these four passengers is still unknown. The case is under investigation.

But gold smuggling is nothing new in Vietnam, and there's a structural reason behind it.

The Vietnamese government tightly controls gold bar imports and production. Only institutions licensed by the State Bank of Vietnam can import raw gold.
Limited supply meets high demand, and domestic gold prices have long stayed above international levels.

In early March 2026, the selling price of Vietnam's domestic SJC gold bars fluctuated between VND 187 and 191 million per tael.
At the same time, international gold prices converted to Vietnamese dong were roughly VND 20 million per tael cheaper.
That gap is close to the historic high set in early 2024.

Multiple Vietnamese media outlets and the World Gold Council have pointed to the domestic-international price gap as the primary driver of gold smuggling.
Industry estimates suggest tens of tonnes of gold flow into Vietnam through illegal channels each year.

What Vietnam's Rules Say

Vietnam has clear rules on bringing gold into the country.

Gold bars and raw gold: Regular travelers are completely banned from carrying them across the border.
If caught at the airport, the gold must be stored in a customs warehouse or sent back. All costs are borne by the traveler.

Gold jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets, etc.): Allowed, but anything over 300 grams in total must be declared to customs.

Emigrants leaving the country: Must declare if carrying over 300 grams total. Over 1 kilogram requires a permit from a local branch of the State Bank of Vietnam.

What Happens if You Get Caught

There are two levels.

Administrative penalties: If you carry undeclared gold but the value falls below the criminal threshold (VND 100 million), fines range from VND 1 million to VND 50 million depending on the amount.
The gold is confiscated.

Criminal penalties: Under Article 189 of Vietnam's Penal Code (illegal transportation of goods and currency across borders), carrying gold valued at VND 100 million (about USD 3,800) or more triggers criminal prosecution.

Sentencing ranges:
VND 100 to 300 million: Fine of VND 20 to 200 million, or 3 months to 2 years in prison.
VND 300 to 500 million: Fine of VND 200 million to 1 billion, or 2 to 5 years in prison.
Over VND 500 million: Fine of VND 1 to 3 billion, or 5 to 10 years in prison.

The 12.3 kilograms seized this time, if confirmed to be gold, are worth VND 60 billion, far exceeding the highest threshold.
The four suspects face up to 10 years in prison.

Not an Isolated Case

Vietnam's customs authorities have stepped up enforcement against gold smuggling in recent months.

Flights arriving from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea are priority targets.
Customs works with airlines to pre-screen high-risk passenger manifests and increases body scans and luggage inspections on arrival.

In June 2025, a Taiwanese traveler was caught at the same airport after hiding nearly 2 kilograms of gold inside four camera lenses.

As long as the domestic-international gold price gap persists, these cases won't stop.