Sentenced to prison for illegal mining
(Baonghean.vn) - Although not licensed in the field of mineral exploitation, Ho Nga still directed workers to bring machinery and equipment to the forest to exploit stone.
On April 19, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial against Ho Nga (born 1985), residing in Dong Hop commune (Quy Hop), for the crime of "Violating regulations on resource exploitation".
According to the indictment, although not licensed by a competent state agency, from December 18 to 25, 2018, Nga directed a group of 4 workers hired by him to go to Kien Kien mountain area, Chau Loc commune (Quy Hop) to mine stone.
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| Defendant Ho Nga in court. Photo: Nhu Binh |
On December 25, when two workers were putting explosives into the drill hole to break the rock, they were discovered by the authorities, who confiscated all the machinery and 0.94m3 of rock (including decorative marble and regular white construction stone). On December 26, 2018, Ho Nga was arrested by the police to serve the investigation.
The Asset Valuation Council determined that the amount of stone illegally mined by Nga was worth more than 1.3 million VND. The Kien Kien mountain area has not been granted a license for mineral exploration and exploitation by the authorities, but this is forest land assigned to a household for management.
At the trial, defendant Ho Nga admitted all of his crimes and said that due to lack of understanding of regulations in resource exploitation and difficult life, he went to mine rocks to sell for money.
Previously, on June 20, 2018, Ho Nga was also administratively fined 2 million VND by the authorities of Quy Hop district for illegal mineral exploitation.
Considering the case comprehensively, the People's Court sentenced Ho Nga to 6 months in prison.
