Four foreign passengers have been caught carrying more than 250 iPhones of the latest models that are worth over $278,000 at an international airport in Ho Chi Minh City.
Customs officers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport confirmed on Tuesday night they had confiscated over 250 iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max gadgets from four U.S. passengers.
They traveled from the United States to Vietnam and were unable to present legitimate documents proving the products’ origin.
The smartphones are estimated to cost VND6.5 billion ($278,544).
The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max were first introduced on September 12 and officially released in 33 countries on September 21.
As Vietnam was not among this group of nations, many Vietnamese citizens queued up at the Apple Store in Singapore to be able to purchase the devices.
According to Tran Ngoc Anh, deputy head of the customs department at Tan Son Nhat, mobile phone importers are required to register for quality inspections with the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Information and Communications.
Importers who fail to comply with the rule will be fined and ordered to re-export their products.
Passengers arriving in Vietnam are allowed to freely carry a second mobile phone for personal use.
They, however, must pay a tax if it is worth more than VND10 million ($429).
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I'm well-versed in international trade regulations, customs procedures, and smartphone technology, especially pertaining to the iPhone. The incident at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City regarding the confiscation of over 250 iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max units from U.S. passengers is an intriguing intersection of trade laws, consumer demand, and regional availability of tech products.
Firstly, the iPhones mentioned, the XS and XS Max, were unveiled on September 12 and officially launched in 33 countries on September 21. As mentioned, Vietnam wasn't initially part of this group, prompting eager Vietnamese consumers to flock to Apple Stores in other countries, notably Singapore, to acquire these devices.
The customs department at Tan Son Nhat, led by Tran Ngoc Anh, requires mobile phone importers to undergo quality inspections with the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Information and Communications. Failure to comply results in fines and possible re-export orders for the products. This stringent regulation aims to maintain quality control and ensure compliance with local standards.
The article also highlights the specific regulations for passengers entering Vietnam with mobile phones. Travelers are allowed to carry a second mobile phone for personal use, but if its value exceeds VND10 million ($429), they are subject to taxation.
This incident underscores the importance of adhering to import regulations and providing legitimate documents to prove the origin of products, especially in a market where high-demand items might not have official availability. It's a reminder of the legal complexities surrounding cross-border trade and the measures in place to regulate it.
If there's anything specific you'd like to delve deeper into, whether it's trade policies, iPhone technology, or international customs procedures, feel free to ask!
