Officers inspect the CHUNG CHING ship

The Hai Phong Border Guard Command said, “on December 13, the head of the Hai Phong Border Guard signed a decision to take the Khang Vinh Company and Do Ba Khang to court for smuggling. The case has been transferred to the Investigation Agency of the Hai Phong City Police.

Around October 2021, authorities discovered a group of people in Quang Ninh that showed signs of buying the CHUNG CHING ship (IMO 6908113, call sign: T8A3293, flag: Palau, moored at Hon Gai, Quang Ninh) from an owner abroad, without carrying out import procedures into Vietnam, with the intention to resell it to people in Hai Phong for dismantlement and sale of its steel.

This is a very serious and complicated case, involving domestic and foreign organizations and individuals, the scope of the ​​operation stretches from the border to inland, with very sophisticated methods, showing signs of organized crime.

The CHUNG CHING ship is moored for dismantlement in Hai Phong

The Hai Phong Border Guard Command has requested the crime prevention agency develop a plan and establish a reconnaissance team. This team ‘ has coordinated with other agencies to investigate areas of Mong Cai, Hon Gai (Quang Ninh) and An Duong. Thuy Nguyen of the Hai Phong - collected the above information and identified relevant suspects.

Through the investigation, the authorities discovered a group of suspects in Quang Ninh, led by Do Ba Khang, born in 1977. He is the Director of the Khang Vinh Company Ltd. in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, and was found to have bought the CHUNG CHING ship from a ship owner in Taiwan, of the YI CHING YANG Co.LTD Company. The plan was to resell it to a group of people in Hai Phong, led by Nguyen Van Soai, born in 1978.

On November 4, 2021, the people brought the ship from Quang Ninh to Hai Phong. On November 8, 2021, Nguyen Van Soai began to cut down the ship's cabin and dismantle equipment.

The Hai Phong Border Guard Command presided over and coordinated with Customs and Police to suspend the dismantlement and convene with Mr. Soai to investigate the case.

Realizing that the case showed signs of violations, the Hai Phong Border Guard Command actively coordinated with the Hai Phong Customs Department and Hai Phong City Police to make the investigation.

As a result, Do Ba Khang spent US$300,000 to buy the ship from a Taiwanese ship-owner with the intention of dismantling it and selling it for scraps.

Khang did not carry out the correct procedures to import the ship and then proceeded to sell it to Nguyen Van Soai for VND10.5 billion. This is a grievous violation of the law.

On November 30, 2021, the Hai Phong City Border Guard Command held a meeting with Hai Phong City Police, Hai Phong Customs Department and Hai Phong People's Procuracy to research evidence collected during the investigation and identify the signs of smuggling, as prescribed in Article 188 of the Penal Code.

The Commander of the Hai Phong Border Guard initiated a criminal case of smuggling against the Khang Vinh Company and Do Ba Khang, and transferred the case to the investigation agency of the City police for settlement.

The CHUNG CHING ship is captured by Fleet 1.

The case is very serious and complicated, of great value and showcasing many new methods and tricks of smugglers. Suspects legalized documents and took advantage of e-commerce activities and contracts with foreigners to bring the ship to Vietnam's territory. They failed to carry out import procedures, causing huge losses to the State budget revenue.

On the other hand, destroying the CHUNG CHING ship at an illegal demolition establishment would also lead to environmental pollution.

The success of this case has shown the proactive spirit of the Hai Phong City Border Guard. It is also the result of close and effective coordination between the Hai Phong Border Guard, Hai Phong Customs Department and Hai Phong City Police.