Giving the bullet to tourism projects
Recently, local people have been sharing stories about the "huge" illegal mineral exploitation site located in Da Huoai 2 commune. This sand and gravel mining site is hidden under the shell of a nong tourism project located along the Da Quay river, village 3, with an area of over 20 hectares.
In this area, in early April 2025, the People's Committee of Da Huoai district (old) confirmed the plan to use multi-purpose land for both production and development of agricultural tourism. Taking advantage of this, the landowner leveled and illegally exploited minerals on a large scale, like a large construction site.
People said that for a long time, the vehicles and machinery were exploited continuously but were not discovered and handled by the authorities.
To reach the scene, Lao Dong Newspaper reporters had to spend many days crossing hills and wade through streams to reach the scene. There are always people here who guard and bring walkie-talkies to prevent strangers.
Notably, the construction site is located on a land area of more than 20 hectares owned by a human owner in Ho Chi Minh City. The land is surrounded by a closed iron fence. At the scene, there were more than 10 piles of sand and gravel with a total estimated weight of over 1,000m3; 2 excavators, 2 dump trucks and many people were being exploited, along with items for sand screening.
Focus on investigation and handling
After successfully breaking into the illegal sand and gravel mining site, Lao Dong Newspaper reporters contacted the leaders of Da Huoai 2 commune to coordinate.
On the morning of November 10, Mr. Ho Van Khanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Huoai 2 Commune (Lam Dong) said: For more than a week, since receiving information from a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper, we have directed the Commune Police to coordinate with relevant agencies to inspect the scene of the sand and gravel mining case. The Commune Police also reported the incident to the provincial police leaders for investigation and handling.
Up to now, it can be confirmed that the owner of the land for illegal sand and gravel mining is Mr. Nguyen Thanh Dai (residing in Ho Chi Minh City). The People's Committee of Da Huoai 2 commune invited the owner of the land for illegal sand and gravel mining, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Dai, to work to handle the situation.
Working with the authorities, Mr. Dai could not present documents and records related to mineral exploitation at the above-mentioned land and at the same time, admitted that illegal sand and gravel mining occurred here.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Dai also admitted that the exploitation of sand and gravel is for the purpose of building items of the embankment project along the Da Quay River in his family's land.
The work of examining the scene and measuring the volume of sand and gravel illegally exploited has been basically completed by the Da Huoai 2 Commune Police and the Economic Police Department of Lam Dong Provincial Police.
Preliminary statistics show that at the scene, there are more than 10 piles of sand and gravel with a total estimated weight of over 1,000m3; 2 excavators, 2 dump trucks and many people are exploiting, along with items for sand screening.
In addition to the sand and gravel at the scene, the authorities also determined that there were more than 140m3 of gravel that had been used by the landowner for the embankment system along the Da Quay River.
The authorities have also temporarily detained 2 dump trucks and 2 excavators related to illegal mineral exploitation activities to serve the investigation. "Currently, after a period of verification and investigation, the People's Committee of the commune is assigning relevant agencies to complete documents and procedures to handle violations related to illegal mineral exploitation. Along with handling violators, the locality will consider handling related organizations and individuals if there are signs of supporting illegal mineral exploitation activities" - Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Huoai 2 commune said.
