Dapale Alkesh Kashinath, 28, an Indian national, has been sentenced to seven years in prison and fined VND 50 million ($2,000) by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court for illegally transporting 362 diamonds valued at nearly VND 8.5 billion ($330,000) into Vietnam.
Kashinath, who worked for Sun Rays Company in Mumbai, admitted that under instructions from company owner Pratik Kirit Mehta, he had carried diamonds into Vietnam multiple times since 2017, earning about 10,000 Rupees ($120) per trip.
On October 25, 2024, he transported 350 diamonds from India to Hong Kong, received 12 more, and entered Vietnam via Tan Son Nhat International Airport without declaring them to customs.
Police and customs officers discovered 15 plastic bags of natural diamonds hidden inside two candy boxes in his luggage. Experts later confirmed their value at nearly VND 8.5 billion.
Authorities said Kashinath had smuggled diamonds into Vietnam on at least six or seven occasions before his arrest, delivering them to clients whose identities remain unknown.
At trial, Kashinath admitted following his employer’s orders and pleaded for a fine instead of prison, citing over a year in detention. However, the court rejected the request, noting he had no verified assets in Vietnam.
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Source: Vietnam Insider