HCM City is strictly handling drivers disguising themselves as delivery people to avoid regulations about going out and the ban on going out from 6pm to 6 am. Photo:vtc.vn

HCM CITY — The city has begun cracking down on phony delivery men and women after many people were discovered wearing uniforms as a disguise to go out on city streets amid the city's implementation of Directive 16.

Dương Anh Đức, vice chairman of the People's Committee of HCM City, said that two-thirds of vehicles on the road are mobile-app delivery people.

Recently, militia and traffic police at checkpoints in the city have handled many people wearing delivery shirts as an excuse to go out.

The city Department of Transport has recommended specific regulations on transport and delivery services, according to Trần Quang Lâm, director of the department.

The city requires the drivers to deliver only essential items (food, medical equipment, medicine), and has the right to refuse them if the goods do not fall under this category.

In addition, functional forces will strengthen inspections and handling of "fake shippers" and delivery people carrying non-essential goods.

The functional forces will have the right to ask the delivery workers to provide invoices for inspection.

Phan Văn Mãi, deputy secretary of the city Party Committee, said in the next two weeks, the city will deploy patrol forces to make sure the social distancing order is strictly followed.

Anyone violating the regulations could be detained.

The city has called for cooperation and the highest sense of responsibility from people in the fight against the pandemic.

After a meeting held on Sunday, the city made a decision to ban people from going out between 6pm and 6am.

“All activities will have to be suspended except for emergency medical care or pandemic fight operations," Nguyễn Thành Phong, the city's chairman, said at the meeting.

HCM City has been recording thousands of new COVID-19 patients each day despite 17 days of social distancing under Directive 16. The directive requires residents to stay at home and only go out for basic necessities such as buying food or medicines or to work at factories or businesses that are allowed to be open. VNS