Coast guards combats illegal sea sand mining, drug-related crime

The functional forces of the Coast Guard Region No 3 Command and Bến Tre Province’s Border Guard discovered a vessel carying sea sand of unknown origin on November 13. — Photo Courtesy of VCG

BÀ RỊA-VŨNG TÀU — The Coast Guard Region No 3 Command under the Việt Nam Coast Guard (VCG) on November 15 officially launched a campaign to fight against all types of crime at sea, including drug-related crimes and human trafficking, as well as smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the period ahead of the upcoming Tết (Lunar New Year).

The campaign will run from November 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025.

It focuses on implementing the "three bests", including highest awareness and responsibility; performing tasks with the highest results; and maintaining safety, solidarity and strictest discipline.

The Coast Guard Region No 3 Command in collaboration with Bến Tre Province’s Border Guard have discovered and arrested two cases of illegal sand exploitation and transportation and a woman illegally storing drugs on the southern coast of Việt Nam.

At 5am on November 13, the functional forces of the Coast Guard Region No 3 Command and Bến Tre Province’s Border Guard stoped and inspected a vessel BTr-8661 registered to Bến Tre Province, and found about 100 cubic metres (cu.m) of sea sand on the water between Bến Tre and Tiền Giang provinces.

The vessel’s captain, Đỗ Hoàng Duy, 26, of Bến Tre, and three crew members were on board. Duy failed to furnish documents proving the origin of the sand.

Around 9am on the same day, they also discovered another vessel BTr -8653 transporting about 250cu.m of sea sand.

Huỳnh Văn Tý, the vessel’s captain, 43, of Bến Tre, failed to furnish documents proving the origin of the sand.

A Vietnamese woman was caught red-handed illegally storing about six grams of methamphetamine in the sea border area of Vũng Tàu City on November 13. — Photo courtesy of VCG

The Coast Guard Region No 3 Command and the police forces of Vũng Tàu City in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province caught red-handed a subject illegally storing about six grams of methamphetamine at around 1:20pm on the same day in the sea border area of Vũng Tàu City.

The subject Lê Thị Tuyết Kim, 36, of Vũng Tàu City, stored the drugs for the purpose of reselling to addicts who are crew members on fishing boats and cargo ships in the port area.

The cases were brought ashore and handed over to the functional forces for further investigation. — VNS