People who tried to illegally cross border have been taken to a local police station. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ GIANG — Border soldiers and police in northern mountainous province of Hà Giang on Monday caught three groups of people trying to illegally enter China.

In total, 41 people were stopped from crossing the border.

The first group, including three women living in the south, was found while trying to cross the border in Mèo Vạc District.

They told police someone on a social network promised to help them cross to find work, but when they reached the border, no one was waiting to help them.

When the group were found by police in the forest, it was discovered they had not eaten for two days.

Eight other men hailing from Lai Châu Province were also caught by police just as they had crossed into China.

Police also found a group of 30 people living in caves close to the border waiting for the chance to cross.

According to Xín Cái border soldiers, in only one week, they discovered 51 people illegally crossing borders and four others who helped with crossing to escape from quarantine.

Since February, about 3,000 people have been discovered to illegally travelling both to China and from China to Việt Nam in Mèo Vạc District.

In another move, nine people who took a boat from Tonle Sap, Cambodia to illegally enter Trị An Lake, southern Đồng Nai Province of Việt Nam on Monday evening, have been taken to hospital for quarantine.

Police in Quảng Nam Province have also started investigation into a criminal case in which 21 Chinese nationals illegally entered Việt Nam.

The investigation will look into brokering illegal entry, exit, or stay in Việt Nam and paying bribes to gain entry.

The Chinese were found to stay at a hotel in Điện Bàn Town and did not follow local authorities’ orders. Some even escaped.

Local police traced and took 21 people to quarantine. — VNS