Staff of Si Ma Cai border post inspect border area

The group said they had illegally crossed the border into China before the lunar New Year earlier this year. They were detained by Chinese authorities in July but escaped back to Vietnam on August 2.

The post imposed administrative fines on them and sent them to quarantine.

The officer added that so far this year, the post has detained more than 700 people who illegally enter Vietnam from China. They are from various localities and worked in China.

The post has started legal procedures against two people who illegally brought 14 migrants to China, he revealed.

Vietnamese, Chinese arrested for illegal entry

At Tan Thanh border post

Many Vietnamese and Chinese have been arrested for illegally entering Vietnam in recent days.

On August 3, border guards of Tan Thanh post, the northern mountainous province of Lang Son, arrested 10 men and 15 women at border markers in Tan Thanh commune, Van Lang district. They were later sent to the provincial Military Command for medical quarantine in line with regulations.

Police in Thanh Thuy district, the northern midland province of Phu Tho, also decided to impose administrative fines on two local men for crossing national border without immigration procedures in line with regulations.

In the southern province of Tay Ninh, authorities caught one Vietnamese and seven Chinese in Ben Cau district on August 2 night. They were also tested and quarantined later.

Earlier on July 30, three Vietnamese and eight Chinese were also arrested in Ben Cau district.

Security official discusses illegal immigration from China

Chief of the Office of the Ministry of Public Security and spokesman, Maj. Gen. To An Xo.

Chief of the Office of the Ministry of Public Security and spokesman, Maj. Gen. To An Xo said the ministry has tightened control at border gates and international airports to prevent illegal immigration.

He was speaking at the regular Government press conference in Hanoi on Monday.

Xo said since the beginning of this year, 504 Chinese nationals have been caught illegally entering Viet Nam in 27 out of the 63 localities. Since June, local public security forces and border guards have uncovered 21 cases involving 177 illegal Chinese immigrants, and launched criminal proceedings against 19 Vietnamese and several Chinese in five cases.

He added the illegal entries were mostly made by Chinese nationals and Vietnamese working in neighbouring countries without contracts. Due to natural disasters and the pandemic in China, some entered Viet Nam to seek jobs, many went to visit Viet Nam, while a number of others sought to go to Cambodia to gamble now that the country has reopened its casinos.

Xo said after the recent COVID-19 outbreak in the community, the ministry asked units and localities to seriously follow the Prime Minister’s Directives No.16 and No.19 and guideline documents on pandemic prevention and control, including the inspection of immigration at border gates and international airports, especially in localities with trails and open roads.

The ministry also requested ensuring absolute safety of quarantine areas.

He also suggested issuing suitable policies for illegal Vietnamese immigrants, most of them illegal workers in China. VNA/VNS