Coast Guard officers size a vessel for transporting illegally mined sand in the waters between HCM City and Tiền Giang Province on June 14. —  Photo Courtesy of the Việt Nam Coast Guard

ĐỒNG NAI — The Việt Nam Coast Guard has seized approximately 1,400 cubic metres of sand of unknown origin from a vessel operating in the waters between HCM City and the Mekong Delta province of Tiền Giang.

The seizure was part of a high-intensity campaign targeting smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods, and intellectual property violations. At around 3:30 am on June 14, Intelligence Division No. 2, based in Đồng Nai Province, in coordination with the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command, discovered the vessel NĐ 3857, registered in Nam Định Province, during field reconnaissance.

The vessel's captain, Nguyễn Văn Thắng, 54, of Nam Định, and two crew members on board were unable to provide legal documentation for the sand.

Thắng admitted to purchasing the sand without invoices or supporting documents.

At 5:00 pm the same day, the vessel was escorted to Squadron Port 301 in Vũng Tàu City. The case was then handed over to the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command for further investigation.

Intelligence Division No. 2 is tasked with monitoring waters from the south-central province of Phú Yên to the Mekong Delta province of Kiên Giang, including the Trường Sa (Spratly) Archipelago. It is also responsible for detecting and combating crimes related to national security, smuggling, and trade fraud at sea.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command manages the sea area stretching from Cù Lao Xanh Island in Bình Định Province to the northern bank of the Định An Estuary in Trà Vinh Province, encompassing the waters surrounding the Trường Sa Archipelago and DK1 rigs.

The command has successfully fulfilled its mission of protecting national sovereignty and enforcing maritime law over the years. — VNS