Motorbike taxi driver incarcerated for smuggling Chinese into Vietnam

By Phan Anh August 12, 2020 | 05:15 am PT

Nguyen Cong Yen at the Tay Ninh Province People's Court, August 11, 2020. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency.

A man in southern Tay Ninh Province was sentenced to seven years in jail Tuesday for helping some Chinese cross the Cambodian border into Vietnam.

Nguyen Cong Yen, 36, was charged with brokering illegal entry to Vietnam, Tay Ninh People's Court heard.

Yen works as a motorbike taxi driver in Ben Cau District, bordering Cambodia. Via his job, he became acquainted with Cambodian A Tha.

With borders currently closed to contain Covid-19, the two soon struck up a deal to transport citizens between the two nations.

From May 15 to May 20, the duo brought four Chinese men from Cambodia to Vietnam for $350 a head, assisted by Vo Van Kiet, 26, whose borderline house was used as transit point.

While waiting for a car to bring three Chinese to HCMC on May 21, Yen was caught red-handed by police.

A Tha's identity has yet to be confirmed, with Kiet currently unaccounted for, authorities said. The three aforementioned Chinese have each been fined VND3 million ($129) by Tay Ninh Police's Immigration Management Department, it was added.

Vietnam has witnessed a rising number of illegal entry from neighboring countries, mainly China, Ministry of Public Security spokesman To An Xo said last week.

Since June, local security forces have uncovered dozens of cases involving hundreds of illegal Chinese immigrants. Some said they were looking for jobs in Vietnam.