VietNamNet Bridge –  The Northern Airport Authority on Thursday destroyed 345 cigarette packages that were smuggled into Vietnam by three flight attendants of Vietnam Airlines from Incheon, South Korea to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.

The smuggled goods were transported on flight VN415 of Vietnam Airlines by Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai, head flight attendant.

According to the Northern Airport Authorities, the smuggled cigarettes were detected on July 7, on a car driven by two employees of the Vietnam Aircraft Engineering Company (VAECO), Mr. Nguyen Van Luy and Mai Ngoc Vy through the security check-box of Noi Bai Airport.

The two VAECO employees declared that the tobacco was carried by Chief Steward Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai from South Korea. She put the goods in a luggage compartment on the aircraft and told Vy to take them out.

Although Luy was not assigned to serve that flight, he had the cards to enter the airport and get on the aircraft of Vietnam Airlines to take the smuggled goods.

The Northern Airport Authority has sanctioned the three individuals involving in the case. The Chief Steward Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai and technical staff Nguyen Van Luy had to pay administrative fines of VND20 million ($1,000) each and the driver Mai Ngoc Vy was fined VND15 million ($700).

They have been also suspended from work, pending disciplinary action.

VNE