Dried betel nut 'kingpin' indicted for smuggling 425 tons from Vietnam to China

Vietnamese authorities have indicted Phùng Văn Lương, 34, and 16 associates for leading a large-scale smuggling ring that illegally exported over 425 tons of dried betel nuts to China. The operation, valued at more than 44 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately $1.7 million), allegedly ran from February to April 2025.

Lương, who previously dealt in dried betel nuts, reportedly recognized the high demand and profit margins in the Chinese market. He allegedly collaborated with a Chinese contact, identified as A Siêu, who served as the primary buyer. The agreement involved Lương sourcing betel nuts within Vietnam and selling them to A Siêu for over 115 million Vietnamese dong per ton through informal border channels.

To execute the plan, Lương enlisted numerous individuals in Vietnam to facilitate the cross-border movement of goods. The scheme involved transporting the betel nuts from Vĩnh Phúc province to border towns in Lạng Sơn or Cao Bằng. Local contacts, known as "bao biên," would then arrange for the nuts to be moved across the border via unofficial paths and handed over to Chinese buyers.

Further complicating the case, investigators are examining the alleged involvement of Nguyễn Văn Khánh, former director of a mining enterprise under the Ministry of Defense. Khánh reportedly assisted Nguyễn Văn Ngọc, a key figure in the smuggling ring, in navigating administrative procedures for exporting goods. Ngọc allegedly collected 160 million Vietnamese dong per container from smugglers for "diplomatic" efforts to prevent confiscation, amassing over 2.2 billion Vietnamese dong. Documents related to Khánh's alleged involvement have been transferred to the Ministry of Defense's investigative agency for further action.