Nghe An: Driver and car owner arrested in case of 53 Chinese people illegally entering the country

On March 24, Colonel Duong Hong Hai - Deputy Commander of the Border Guard Command of Nghe An province said that the unit had just handed over the case file, evidence and 2 suspects.Chinese illegal immigrantsto the Investigation Security Department (PA09, Nghe An Provincial Police) to prosecute the accused and continue to expand the investigation according to authority.

Authorities took statement from car owner Le Trung Kiet. Photo: TH

According to Colonel Hai, previously, Nghe An Border Guard had detained Le Trung Kiet (27 years old, residing in Thot Not district, Can Tho), and Nguyen Ba Tung (40 years old, residing in Vinh Long city, Vinh Long province), for being discovered using a passenger bus to transport 53 Chinese people illegally entering the country on the way to the South. Of which, Kiet was the owner of the Tra My sleeper bus with license plate 65B - 017.81 and Tung was the driver. The Border Guard then initiated a case for "organizing and brokering for others to illegally exit, enter or stay in Vietnam" under Article 3348 of the 2015 Penal Code.

Border Guards took driver Tung's statement. After the criminal detention period ended, the Border Guards handed over the driver and vehicle owner to Nghe An Police for further detention and prosecution according to their authority. Photo: TH

"Through investigation, these illegal immigrants said they crossed the border into Vietnam by road in the northern provinces, then moved to the south to find a way to cross into Cambodia to work for Chinese businesses there. This case is part of a large-scale illegal immigration ring, so the Border Guard Command is still directing the arrest of a number of subjects in the southern provinces and expanding the investigation," said Colonel Hai.

Regarding these 53 Chinese people, Lieutenant Colonel Hai said that the unit is completing the documents to hand over to the Immigration Department (Nghe An Provincial Police), impose administrative penalties and deport them back to their country. Currently, these people are still being quarantined at the Hung Nguyen District Medical Center.

53 Chinese people entered the country illegally. Photo: TH

Previously, on March 9, Nghe An Border Guard coordinated with relevant units to stop a sleeper bus of Tra My company when it was running on National Highway 1A through Hoang Mai town. At that time, in addition to 53 Chinese people who entered the country illegally, there were also 4 Vietnamese people on the bus.

In addition to Kiet, the car owner, and driver Tung, there were also two other people who were bus conductors. All 57 people were then escorted to Hung Nguyen District Medical Center for quarantine, testing, and taking statements to serve the investigation.

One of the four Chinese people who escaped from the quarantine area was later arrested. Photo: TH

By the evening of March 17, taking advantage of the loophole,4 Chinese people have escapedfrom the quarantine area. Two were arrested by Hung Nguyen District Police later. The remaining two managed to catch a bus and escape. However, just a few hours later, both were arrested in Ky Anh District (Ha Tinh), while on a bus. Currently, all of these people have also tested negative for Covid-19 for the second time.

The case is still under further investigation.

Tien Hung