HCMC – The An Giang Police Department on January 1 prosecuted five people for organizing the illegal entry of various people into Vietnam, including that relating to Covid-19 patients, said Colonel Dinh Van Noi, director of the department.
The accused are Phan Phi Hung, 42; Truong Chi Tai, 31; Le Van Dinh, 32 and Pham Thanh Hap, 32, who reside in Bung Nho Hamlet, Khanh Binh Commune, An Phu District, An Giang Province and Trang Van Ut, 33, a resident of Phu Loi Hamlet, Phu Huu Commune, An Phu District, An Giang Province.
They are under supervision at quarantine centers. After the quarantine period, the An Giang Police Department will take them to the province to serve an investigation, Tuoi Tre Online newspaper reported.
Hung reportedly got in touch with a person named Quay in Cambodia to illegally take people from Cambodia to Vietnam. Hung later cooperated with Tai, Dinh and Hap to use motorbikes to transport these people to certain localities in Vietnam.
In addition, Hung worked with Ut to arrange cars to carry them to Chau Doc City of An Giang Province or other places as required by them.
These five people helped nine people illegally enter An Giang Province’s An Phu District from Cambodia on December 24. Four of the nine people have been infected with Covid-19.
On the same day, the Vinh Long investigative police agency began criminal proceedings in a case of dangerous infectious disease transmission related to the country’s 1,440th Covid-19 patient, who had illegally entered Vietnam earlier.
Colonel Huynh Thanh Mong, deputy director of the Vinh Long Police Department, said the move was in line with Article 240 of the 2015 Penal Code.
According to the provincial investigative police agency, on December 24, the 1,440th Covid-19 patient, 32, illegally entered Vietnam from Cambodia.
His family reported the case to the competent agency and he was later placed under quarantine and had his sample taken for Covid-19 testing. The result came back positive.
The competent agencies later found that besides him, eight others had illegally entered Vietnam from Cambodia on that day.
