Detecting iron ferry illegally mining sand, clarifying the amount of sand at the gathering site

At about 10:00 p.m. on November 2, 2021, in the Lam River area in Block 11, Ben Thuy Ward, Vinh City, the Environmental Police Department, in coordination with the Waterway Police Team - Traffic Police Department, discovered an iron-hulled ferry with 4 people illegally mining sand.

The four suspects include Nguyen Van Viet (born in 1989), Tran Van Duc (born in 1996), both residing in Hung Loi commune, Hung Nguyen district; Dau Cong Minh (born in 1990), residing in Hung Hoa commune, Vinh city and Nguyen Van Tan (born in 1991), residing in Chau Thanh commune, Quy Hop district.

Authorities check to determine the amount of illegally mined sand stored on the ferry. Photo: Duc Vu.

The authorities asked the subjects to stop the exploitation and organized a record of the incident. Through inspection, it was determined that the amount of illegally exploited sand stored on the ferry was 112m³.

The iron-hulled ferry used by the subjects to exploit sand is 47m long, 5.2m wide, and equipped with two large-capacity sand suction nozzles. Notably, the area where the subjects illegally exploited sand is only about 800m from the foot of Ben Thuy 1 bridge.

During the working process, the police agency clarified that the amount of sand on the ferry after being exploited was transported by the subjects to the gathering area at the wharf of Construction and Trade Joint Stock Company 668, block 13, Ben Thuy ward, Vinh city, with Mr. Vo Thanh Hung as director.

Sand gathered at the wharf of Construction and Trade Joint Stock Company 668. Photo: Duc Vu

At this company's staging area there are more than 1,600m³Sand, at the time of inspection, the company's leaders had not yet presented documents proving the legal origin of the sand.

The Environmental Police Department has detained the vehicle and continues to verify and handle it according to the provisions of law.