Border provinces in the southwest: Tightening control opening paths and roads, preventing illegal immigration

Customs and Border Defence of Vinh Xuong Border coordinated to patrol. Photo: T.H

Sneaky immigration into Vietnam

According to Steering Committee 389 of An Giang province, An Giang has a 100km border adjacent to Cambodia and forces at the border are implementing many measures to prevent illegal entry and exit the country to prevent the pandemic. Since the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak up to now, the provincial authorities have detected and processed more than 17,500 people who entered Vietnam illegally, prosecuting and handing over to competent authorities for handling 53 cases, 107 subjects have committed acts of organising, brokering for others to enter, exit and stay in Vietnam illegally.

Many cases of illegal entries have been tried in public, sentencing imprisonment with deterrence level. Recently, on December 26, at the first instance trial, the People's Court of An Phu District, An Giang sentenced Bui Thi Phuong Tuyen who was born in 1999, residing in District 8, Ho Chi Minh City for nine months in prison due to "Violation of regulations on illegal entry". Before that, on the morning of September 28, Bui Thi Phuong Tuyen and Pham Thi Thanh Thao (born in 2003, residing in Dak R'Lap district, Dak Nong province) hired subjects to use motorboats to illegally enter Vietnam from Cambodia. When arriving in the border area of ​​An Hoa hamlet, Khanh An commune, An Phu district, they were arrested by the Covid-19 pandemic prevention working group of the Border Post at Long Binh border gate. Through investigation, the police agency identified that, previously, on March 27, Bui Thi Phuong Tuyen was sanctioned by Long Binh Border post due to administrative violations of "moving across border without implementing immigration procedures as prescribed”. Due to her recidivism, Tuyen was criminally prosecuted.

On the same day, the People's Court of An Phu district, An Giang province sentenced Nguyen Thi So Banh (born in 1989) to one year and six months in prison due to "organising to import people illegally" and Le Thi Nguyet (born in 1992) to one year in prison for "organising to export people illegally".

Not only An Giang, the situation of illegal entry through the open-way trail in some border provinces bordering Cambodia was also very complex. According to Dong Thap authorities, the Cambodian border area bordering Dong Thap province, people entering illegally by water on rivers are complex, especially the Tien River area in Thuong Phuoc 1 commune, Hong Ngu district. In the past two months, in the Tien River border area of ​​Thuong Phuoc 1 commune, the Border Defence force discovered, chased and prevented more than 100 people from illegally entering Vietnam.

Besides maintaining 100% of the troops on duty at 114 post stations over 240km of the border, the forces at Tay Ninh border gate have focused all resources on border management and pandemic prevention. Strictly handling cases of illegal immigration and transportation. The competent authorities have prosecuted four cases of organising the transportation of people entering and leaving illegally across the border.

On the border of Long An nearly 133km long, the Border Defence forces have maintained fixed checkpoints and 42 field posts. These checkpoints and stations have operated 24/7 hours, closely patrol and control at border areas and trails, opening paths; promptly detecting, clarifying and handling and preventing cases of illegal entry and exit country across the border. Over the past time, the forces have handled 306 subjects illegally entering or exiting.

Rising the level of Covid-19 pandemic prevention

Facing the complex development of the Covid-19 pandemic in the world, especially, when competent forces of Vinh Long detecting one person with the coronavirus which illegally entered Vietnam through An Giang border area, border provinces of the southwestern area have risen the level of applying Covid-19 prevention measures, especially for border areas bordering Cambodia.

People’s Committees of An Giang province issued documents on directing competent forces about strengthening Covid-19 pandemic prevention. In particular, units such as the commander of Border Defence force; military headquarters of the province, provincial police, Chairman of People’s Committee of districts, towns and cities (especially five border districts, towns and cities) to rise one level of all prevention measures already deployed, thorough grasping and implement in the past; enhancing the inspection through land, strictly control border area, conducting patrol and performed duty in the checkpoints on 24/7, especially opening paths and trails; strictly control the activities of entry and exit country, preventing the case of entering country illegally.

Not only An Giang, many southwestern border provinces have raised the level of all measures to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic. The forces at the border gate, local authorities and people in the border areas promote their roles in implementing regulations on pandemic prevention and control. People actively report to agencies and authorities to resolutely handle subjects and organisations which importing people illegally.