Vietnam Seeks India’s Help Over Mumbai Diamond Smuggling Case

Surat | Gujarat — The Vietnamese government will soon open talks with India to secure the extradition of Pratik Kirit Mehta, owner of the Mumbai-based Sun Rays Company, after a major diamond smuggling scandal involving his employee rocked Ho Chi Minh City.

Earlier this week, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court sentenced 28-year-old Indian national, Dapale Alkesh Kashinath, to seven years in prison and fined him VND 50 million ($2,000) for illegally transporting 362 diamonds valued at $330,000 into Vietnam.

Kashinath, who admitted his role during the trial, told the court he had been working under the instructions of Mehta. “I was only a courier. I carried diamonds into Vietnam on multiple occasions since 2017. For each trip, I was paid around ₹10,000 ($120). The orders always came from my employer, Pratik Kirit Mehta,” Kashinath confessed.

On October 25, 2024, Kashinath flew from India to Hong Kong carrying 350 diamonds, received 12 more, and then entered Vietnam through Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. He bypassed customs checks by hiding the diamonds in 15 plastic bags concealed inside two candy boxes. Customs and police officers later discovered the contraband during inspection. Experts confirmed the gems to be natural diamonds worth nearly VND 8.5 billion ($330,000).

The Vietnamese authorities now consider Mehta the mastermind of a smuggling network and are preparing to request India’s cooperation in bringing him to justice. 

The investigation revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Vietnamese authorities believe Mehta coordinated multiple smuggling attempts over several years. Vietnam will hold talks with the Indian government to secure his extradition so he can face trial there.

“This case exposes how smugglers exploit international travel routes and low-paid couriers to bypass customs. Stronger cooperation between Vietnam and India is essential to dismantle such networks,”  said a diamond industry analyst.

Meanwhile, the ruling has sent shockwaves through the Indian diamond industry, particularly in Mumbai, a global hub for diamond cutting and trading. A Surat-based diamond exporter, reacting to the development, said, “Cases like this tarnish the reputation of India’s diamond sector. Authorities must ensure that unscrupulous operators are weeded out so the industry’s credibility is not damaged internationally.”