Sand mining boats by Nguyễn Văn Láo and Võ Thanh Tú were seized by Đồng Nai Traffic Police. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Traffic police of southern Đồng Nai Province discovered four boats transporting illegally mined sand along the Đồng Nai River on February 15 and 16.

According to Đồng Nai Province’s police, Long Hưng Waterway Police in Long Thành District found a wooded boat set up with sand mining equipment at midnight February 15. Knowing they were being followed by the police, people on the boats jumped into the river to escape.

By 1am February 16, the police team discovered two other boats driven by Nguyễn Văn Láo, 50, from Long An Province and Võ Thanh Tú, 34, from Tiền Giang Province on the Đồng Nai River, carrying about 20cu.m of sand.

Láo and Tú were unable to present legal documents for the sand the boats were carrying.

On February 15, Đồng Nai Traffic Police discovered a boat driven by Võ Thành Vĩnh, 33, from Tiền Giang Province, carrying 26cu.m of sand. Vĩnh was not able to present legal documents for the vehicle or the sand.

The police are completing dossiers for prosecutions according to the law.

Đồng Nai Province’s police said they would continue to strengthen patrolling, controlling and synchronously using professional measures to check and handle acts of arbitrarily changing the use of vehicles or installing additional equipment for pumping and sucking sand and acts related to illegal mining, transportation and trading of minerals (sand) on river routes. VNS