SJC Sales Manager Arrested in Massive Diamond Smuggling Ring

Vietnamese authorities have intensified their crackdown on a major cross-border diamond smuggling ring, arresting four additional suspects, including a key sales manager from the Saigon Jewelry Company (SJC). The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation by the Thanh Hóa Provincial Police into a sophisticated operation involving the illicit import and sale of diamonds.

Phạm Thị Hồng Duyên, identified as the Sales Manager for SJC, is accused of directly facilitating the smuggling of diamonds from Hong Kong into Vietnam. These illicit gems were then allegedly integrated into SJC's retail system for sale to the public, with the proceeds constituting illegal profits. The investigation suggests that between 2022 and 2024, the suspects smuggled around 3,400 diamonds, with a total value exceeding 500 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately $20 million USD).

Other individuals arrested in this latest phase of the investigation include Trần Công, who allegedly sold the smuggled diamonds to SJC, and Trần Hữu Thanh Quân and Hoàng Trung Bắc, who are accused of directly delivering the illicit diamonds to the company. These four are among a growing number of suspects implicated in the case, which has already seen the arrest of 35 individuals.

To conceal their activities, Phạm Thị Hồng Duyên reportedly used the personal information of various customers to register the smuggled diamonds as "resold" items within SJC's management system. This allowed the diamonds to be officially documented before entering the retail market. Subsequently, the gems were sent to Rồng Vàng SJC, a subsidiary specializing in gem appraisal, for verification before being stocked and distributed. During searches related to the recent arrests, authorities seized 354 diamonds valued at approximately 68.8 billion Vietnamese dong.

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Phạm Thị Hồng Duyên, Head of Sales Department of Saigon Jewelry Company (SJC) Limited Liability Company, directly smuggled diamonds and put them into SJC's retail system for consumption, gaining illicit profits.