Gas smuggling rampant, authorities turn blind eye

Gasoline and oil from southwestern provinces like An Giang, Dong Thap, Kien Giang and Long An in the Mekong Delta region are now overtly smuggled over the border to neighboring Cambodia where smugglers can earn VND2,000 (US$0.1) per liter.

Boats after boats loaded with gasoline and oil tanks race through waterways in An Giang Province’s An Phu District to Cambodia to grasp easy money thanks to a higher price there.

Gas stations around the district’s Khanh Binh checkpoint are always jammed with tanks that will be transported by boats over the Chraythom checkpoint at night.

Customs authorities here admit that it is almost impossible to stop the smuggling activities which take place at night only.

But the hot spot in the province for gasoline trafficking is Tinh Bien District.

It is not difficult to spot traffickers hoarding gasoline from barges on the Vinh Te canal day and night and people carrying gasoline tanks alongside its banks.

Motor-driven boats are always ready to take all those through the Tu Meo channel over to Takeo Province’s Kirivong District in Cambodia.

Tuoi Tre finds out that such smugglers travel like an army parade on the canal right before the eyes of local customs officers who turn a blind eye.

In Dong Thap Province, the situation appears the same. On the So Thuong River, boasts busily drop by to get gasoline from barges packed with full barrels for transport to Piemcho and Niec Lueong Districts in Cambodia’s Prey Veng Province.

Meanwhile, gas stations around the border in Kien Giang Province’s Giang Thanh District often close as early as 16:00 to save petrol for their smuggling clients.

Gasoline smuggling is also rife in Long An Province’s Vinh Hung District where bikes carrying 5-6 petrol tanks – which contain 30 liters each – ride like crazy through Khanh Dien A Commune up to Cambodia’s border.

In Tan Hung District of the same province, smugglers use ropes to drag gasoline barrels across the border along a 15km-long channel.

They now earn over VND300,000 ($15.38) for each of the smuggling trips.

Local authorities confirm they are aware of the smuggling but the traffickers are wise enough to avoid capture.

Tags: Vietnam gas, Vietnam Gas prices