A special police unit has been established to ensure security and order at the site of the Long Thanh mega airport project in the southern Vietnamese province of Dong Nai.

The provincial Department of Public Security organized a ceremony on Monday to officially launch the task force.

The unit is divided into three teams and consists of 45 officers who have been trained in combat skills and are equipped with weapons and vehicles in accordance with regulations. 

They are responsible for dealing with all situations including disturbances, illegal protests, political riots, and armed riots, as well as dangerous criminal arrests.

The unit will help the provincial public security department make plans for regular patrols to ensure security and order at the site of the project and nearby areas.

The officers will also coordinate with other divisions in crime-fighting efforts under the direction of the provincial public security department’s director, while ensuring safety for senior officials during major events in the locality.

Following the ceremony, the police unit showcased their martial arts skills and participated in a hypothetical situation where they dealt with a group of terrorists.

Located some 40 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, under-construction Long Thanh International Airport is expected to ease pressure on overcrowded Tan Son Nhat International Airport upon its completion.

The plan to build the airport was ratified by Vietnam’s lawmaking National Assembly in 2015, at a projected cost of US$16 billion.

Construction of the first phase is expected to start later this year and be finished by 2025, upon which the Long Thanh airport will be capable of serving 25 million passengers annually.

When built to its maximum designed capacity, the airport will handle more than 100 million passengers on a yearly basis.

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