QUẢNG NINH — Police in northern Quảng Ninh Province have prosecuted eight people for illegal sand mining in the province.

Nguyễn Thị Hương, director of Dương Dũng Co., Ltd, and her husband Lương Văn Bình, deputy director of the company, were prosecuted for violating regulations in connection with natural resources exploitation.

The six other people are Vũ Văn Lật, Vũ Đức Loan, Nguyễn Văn Tuấn and Lương Văn Ty, as well as Nguyễn Văn Đức, and Trần Thị Nhường.

On May 12, police of the provincial Economic Police worked with police in Hoành Bồ District to catch red-handed Vũ Văn Lật, Vũ Đức Loan, Nguyễn Văn Tuấn and Lương Văn Ty while using some machines to exploit sand in a forest area owned by Lương Văn Bình.

Upon further inspection, the police discovered Nguyễn Văn Đức and Trần Thị Nhường also took part in the illegal activities.

Đức and Nhường admitted they were hired to exploit sand and were paid VNĐ13,000-16,000 per cu.m. The sand was later sold to brick factories in the province.

On average, they exploited between 1,000 and 1,400cu.m.of sand per month.

All eight failed to show required papers licensing the exploitation activities.

The police have seized all machines at the scene.

Six years ago, Bình and Hương purchased 6ha of forest from a man in Hoành Bồ District’s Bằng Xăm Village for conducting illegal sand exploitation. In March, Bình was fined VNĐ4 million ($176) for illegal sand mining.

The case is under further investigation.

Hà Nội police detain 10 people carrying out illegal sand mining

On Sunday Hà Nội police also transferred 10 suspects and five vessels transporting 533cu.m of sand to Phúc Thọ District’s Police Department for further investigation.

The 10 people were caught red handed on May 19 by the police while they were carrying out illegal sand exploitation in the river in Phúc Thọ District’s Vân Hà Commune .

The police seized the vessels and detained the crewmembers. – VNS