A 43-year-old man from south-central Hung Yen Province was confirmed dead by Da Nang police on Monday, after he was caught driving six illegal Chinese immigrants in a seven-seater car on December 21.

After being escorted to the police station in Hoa Hiep Bac Ward in Da Nang, the group failed to present any required paperwork to prove their legal entrance to Vietnam.

T.A.T., the 43-year-old driver, admitted that he had been hired to transport the six Chinese citizens from Hanoi to Quang Ngai Province at the price of VND6 million (US$260) per passenger.

The case was subsequently handed over to police in Lien Chieu District, while the Chinese migrants and the driver were sent to quarantine facilities.

T. was supposed to undergo a 14-day quarantine period at a hotel on Pham Van Dong Street in downtown Da Nang, but he was found dead of an apparent suicide by hanging.

His body was found by a housekeeper at the hotel on Saturday.

After being notified of T.’s death, local police promptly arrived, cordoned off the scene for investigation, and contacted his family.

They also tried to deliver his body back to his hometown for burial, but the proposed delivery was denied for fear of COVID-19 transmission.

Thus, T.’s body was instead cremated and sent back home.

According to police officers, T. was not detained at the time, only subjected to mandatory quarantine in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.

Preliminary inspection revealed T. to be facing a rough financial situation due to the toll of COVID-19.

His marriage fell apart, while he also fell deep in debt and had to move into a rented apartment, which led to his rash decision to join the illicit migration scheme.

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