Vietnam's central bank on Monday rewarded police in the Mekong Delta Tien Giang Province who stopped the smuggling of 92 kilograms of gold from Cambodia last month.

Nguyen Van Giau, governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, gave Tien Giang and Chau Thanh District police a certificate of merit and VND20 million (US$1,047) for their efforts.

Police in the district arrested six smugglers in the case, including two who had purchased the gold from Cambodia.

On February 4, the police found 92 one-kilogram bars of undocumented gold being carried in a car halfway between An Giang Province, which neighbors Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh City.

The amount was equal to 2,450 taels, worth US$3.3 million, according to gold prices at the time of the arrests.

It destined for sale to gold shops in District 5, HCMC, the smugglers said.

Further investigation helped find another 10 kilograms of gold illegally trafficked by the smuggling ring.

Giau said the bust helped stabilize domestic gold prices and exchange rates.

Tien Giang police and Chau Thanh District People's Committee had previously granted the district police a reward of VND30 million.