Man wanted for smuggling

Source: Pano feed

People often copy things that are famous and expensive, then sell them as fakes.

A smuggler, who is wanted by police, is accused of doing almost the opposite.

Police believe he brought very expensive, smart Italian goods to Viet Nam and told the Viet Nam customs they were fake and from China.

This was because he may have wanted to pay a cheaper import tax on fake goods, rather than a more expensive tax on the real goods.

On 27 December, 2012, police seized four trucks carrying Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana clothes, belts, scarves, shoes, and bags from the basement of the Sheraton Sai Gon Hotel in HCM City's District 1. - Photo tienphong

HCM CITY (VNS)—The HCM City police have asked for help from Interpol Viet Nam in their hunt for the owner of two local Gucci-Milano stores, who has absconded since being charged with smuggling.

An international warrant had been issued for Tran Anh Tuan, 53, a Vietnamese-American, Senior Lieutenant – Colonel Cao Xuan Loi, Deputy Head of the police’s investigation division, said on Friday.

Tuan is allegedly the kingpin of a luxury-goods smuggling ring that was discovered in 2012.

On 27 December, 2012, police seized four trucks carrying Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana clothes, belts, scarves, shoes, and bags from the basement of the Sheraton Sai Gon Hotel in HCM City’s District 1.

The goods, actually made in Italy, had been passed off as Chinese-made goods in customs declarations.

To avoid paying import tax on the authentic Gucci products, Tuan routed shipments from Italy through Hong Kong to pass them off as Chinese-made fakes.

Le Hong Duc, 35, an employee of one of the stores, helped Tuan in these smuggling ventures, and was arrested last April.

According to Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper, checks revealed an apparent difference in the products’ quality.

The seized consignment was worth VND16 billion, and the tax due on it was VND552 million (US$26,200).

Two customs officers, Nguyen Buu Qui, 51, and Nguyen Van Sang, 46, were prosecuted for negligence in August. —VNS.

GLOSSARY

The HCM City police have asked for help from Interpol Viet Nam in their hunt for the owner of two local Gucci-Milano stores, who has absconded since being charged with smuggling.

Interpol is an international police organisation through which police from different countries work together.

To abscond from somewhere means to leave the place in a hurry. Often, when people abscond from a pace they do so to avoid being caught by authorities.

An international warrant has been issued for Tran Anh Tuan, 53, a Vietnamese-American, Senior Lieutenant – Colonel Cao Xuan Loi, Deputy Head of the police’s investigation.

A warrant is a document that gives authorities, such as the police, permission to arrest someone or carry out a search on a place.

Tuan is allegedly the kingpin of a luxury-goods smuggling ring that was discovered in 2012.

A person who is a kingpin in an operation is someone whose involvement in that operation is very important, even essential.

To avoid paying import tax on the authentic Gucci products, Tuan routed shipments from Italy through Hong Kong to pass them off as Chinese-made fakes.

Import tax is tax a government charges on things that are bought from other countries.

Something that is authentic is genuine and not fake.

To route something means to send it along a certain route, which in this case was Italy to Hong Kong to Viet Nam.

Le Hong Duc, 35, an employee of one of the stores, helped Tuan in these smuggling ventures, and was arrested last April.

Something that you do that involves some risk is a venture.

According to Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper, checks revealed an apparent difference in the products’ quality.

The seized consignment was worth VND16 billion, and the tax due on it was VND552 million (US$26,200).

A consignment is a load of goods that is on its way to be delivered to someone.

Two customs officers, Nguyen Buu Qui, 51, and Nguyen Van Sang, 46, were prosecuted for negligence in August.

To prosecute someone means to take legal action against them for doing something wrong.

Negligence means failing to take proper care of something.

WORKSHEET

See if you can find words that mean the following in the Word Search

1. The brand name of some very luxury goods, from Italy.

2. Policeman Cao Xuan Loi’s rank.

3. The month during which Le Hong Duc was arrested.

4. Sai Gon Giai Phong is a _______________.

5. The Sheraton Sai Gon is a _________.

b

s

r

o

a

l

l

d

o

k

r

n

h

V

r

s

c

t

e

i

w

i

b

i

o

a

d

o

E

d

o

g

d

d

r

l

s

r

r

a

l

i

p

D

t

k

a

u

b

d

a

m

l

p

o

i

a

w

A

i

n

t

h

c

v

i

c

t

k

l

p

n

k

Z

w

h

r

o

i

c

l

o

a

c

s

s

m

d

X

j

i

i

a

p

r

i

l

d

w

o

j

r

p

U

d

r

h

m

n

h

l

o

e

k

n

l

i

e

N

k

c

a

s

o

k

y

n

t

a

p

a

o

h

H

r

z

c

n

h

o

t

e

l

r

t

e

u

g

M

p

n

r

r

n

e

u

l

t

e

y

d

t

c

K

k

t

e

o

r

e

w

e

h

p

c

i

i

k

C

o

z

r

p

h

c

h

y

e

w

f

u

y

i

F

z

ANSWERS:

© Duncan Guy/Learn the News/ Viet Nam News 2013

1. Gucci; 2. Colonel; 3. April; 4. Newspaper; 5. Hotel.

Đăng ký: VietNam News

Share this

Share on FacebookPlus on Google+