Lang Son: 146 checkpoints set up to prevent illegal entries into Vietnam via trails

Lang Son (VNA) – A total of 146 day-and-night checkpoints have been established by border guards in the northern province of Lang Son to stop illegal entries into Vietnam through small trails along border with China.

The move came since Vietnam has found an increasing number of Chinese nationals sneaking into the country illegally over the past few weeks, raising concerns over the risk of COVID-19 infections among local communities.

So far, the provincial Border Guard Command, in cooperation with competent authorities, has investigated and started legal proceedings against 48 smugglers for allegedly helping people enter and exit the country illegally while 71 others recieved administrative penalties.

According to Colonel Ninh Van Hop, Commander of the provincial Border Guard, Lang Son shares more than 231 km of border with China which spread across five districts.

Criminal activities along the border have become more and more complicated, with most of the cases involving undocumented entries and exits, and trafficking of drugs, human and firecrackers, he said.

On July 28, two Vietnamese women were arrested by authorities in Lang Son for allegedly bringing nine foreigners into the country.

Hoang Thi Thom, 40, and Dinh Thi Tu, 37, both from Yen Khoai commune in Loc Binh district, told the police that they were hired by a man to take eight foreigners into Vietnam via the land border near Chi Ma Border Gate two days prior. They were to receive 250,000 VND (10.8 USD) for each successful case.

When Thom arrived at the border area, Tu called her, telling her to pick up another person waiting nearby to be brought into Vietnam.

All were later caught by border guards while meeting up in the area./.