Surat: A major diamond-smuggling crackdown in Vietnam has put the spotlight on supply chains linked to Surat, with authorities dismantling an alleged $10 million racket that moved about 28,000 diamonds through passenger couriers.Vietnamese authorities said investigators uncovered a network that allegedly smuggled diamonds into the country from India via Hong Kong, bypassing formal trade channels.According to the probe, the diamonds entered Vietnam without customs declarations and were concealed in luggage, clothing and shoes. Officials said the network completed 141 shipments since 2024, using couriers who arrived through major international airports.Authorities identified 31 people linked to the operation, including Abhishek Patel, 32, an Indian national suspected of managing the racket. Investigators are examining the group’s logistics, transactions and sourcing network, focusing on how repeated courier movements escaped detection.In a separate case, another individual with alleged Surat links, Shailesh Prajapati, has been accused of smuggling nearly 1,500 diamonds into Vietnam over multiple trips without declaring them to customs.Prajapati was detained at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Oct 2024 after officials allegedly discovered 715 concealed diamonds. Investigators are also examining his alleged links to a Surat-based company.The investigation has drawn attention across the diamond trade because Vietnam is emerging as an important node in Asia’s gems and jewellery supply chain.According to trade estimates, Vietnam imported more than $121 million worth of diamonds in the first half of 2026, with India remaining its dominant supplier.India is one of the world’s largest centres for diamond cutting and polishing, with Surat and Mumbai forming the backbone of the industry. Vietnam has expanded as both a consumer and manufacturing market for jewellery, driven by rising incomes, urban demand and a growing retail sector.“There is good demand for natural diamonds in Vietnam,” said a diamond manufacturer. “It is possible that, to take advantage of the business while avoiding local taxes, some people might be involved in such practices. Currently, there is no customs duty on diamond imports in Vietnam, but the exact purpose of the smuggling can be known once the investigation is complete.”
