Family of eight caught sneaking into Vietnam from Cambodia by boat
Tuesday, April 27, 2021, 16:58 GMT+7
A family of eight was intercepted by police officers on Monday in southern Vietnam while illegally crossing the Vietnam-Cambodia border by riding a boat on the Tien River, a branch of the Mekong River that connects the two countries.
The family, with four adults and four children, was detained in a joint effort by the law enforcers of southern An Giang and Dong Thap Provinces, according to Huynh Chien Thang, an official at Vinh Xuong Border Gate in An Giang’s Tan Chau Town.
More specifically, they were spotted by the border guard cohort around 2:30 am on Monday while running down the Tien River on a lightweight composite boat for leaving Kompong Chang Province in Cambodia for Vietnam.
After detecting the family, the border guard cohort forced them to turn around and head back to Cambodia.
A family of eight is spotted on a lightweight boat on a section of the Tien River in An Giang Province, Vietnam, trying to sneak from Cambodia, April 26, 2021. Video: Chien Thang / Tuoi Tre
By 3:15 am of the same day, border guards at Vinh Xuong Border Gate had detected two Cambodian porters fetching bags of cargo near a boundary stone along the Vietnam-Cambodia border, which adjoins Phu Quy Village of Tan Chau Town.
As soon as the officers arrived, the two Cambodians had fled the scene.
After probing the cargo they left behind, border guards found some 1,000 boxes of cigarettes attached to them.
The task force seized the cargo and reported the case to the Border Guard Command of An Giang Province.
As of Tuesday morning, Vietnam has documented 2,852 cases, with 2,516 recoveries and 35 deaths.
Considering the pandemic situation in neighboring countries has become increasingly complicated, Vietnamese officials, especially those in the southern provinces that share the border with Cambodia and Laos, are scrambling to fence off the risk of COVID-19 transmission from border jumpers.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Cambodia has surged to nearly 10,000, with daily spikes recorded in the hundreds, while its fatalities have risen to 79.
Thailand’s tally has increased to over 55,000, with some 160 deaths, whereas Laos has locked down its capital to prevent transmission.
In light of these developments, the Ho Chi Minh City administration has called off all fireworks displays that were previously planned for the celebration of this year’s Reunification Day (April 30).
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
