Find the traces of pirates
At the end of March 3, 2025, after receiving a reflection on the situation of golden bandits in Vinh O commune (Vinh Linh district, Quang Tri province), the Lao Dong Newspaper reporter was in the verification. After many days of forest bands around the 3, 4 and some sub -areas without detecting abnormal signs, the clues appeared in early April: The spring water in the Khe De area (Cay Toa village) suddenly changed opaque in every evening.
Following the unique route from Vinh Ha commune to Vinh O, through two rugged slopes called windy and windy 2, we entered the Khe De area - where there was no phone wave, no residential houses in the afternoon of 5.4.
The stream flowing through this area is only slightly opaque while on the upstream of the spring water. Detecting abnormal signs, we waded along the stream to see a shallow stream branch, water only murmured, but there were many layers of young mud.
Moving along the small stream around the middle of the canyon, crossing many bushes, we discovered that there was a sound of the explosion in front. In no telephone, no electricity and roads, the sound of the engine is most likely for gold mining shacks. However, it began to rain with fog surrounded, we decided to withdraw after marking the position on specialized equipment.
The next day when we returned to Khe De, we decided to follow the trails on the hillside, looking for the right position to observe under the canyon. But forest trees, shrubs, vines are dense, so it has no results. Luckily, we discovered the ice pipes in the middle of the forest, when we followed, the camps were found to be covered.
Finding an old yellow tunnel without someone back and forth, we went there to hide. In the morning, the whole forest area was quiet, no strange noise. It was almost noon, the sound of the engine began to rang. Cleaning in this area, new or shacks only started the machine for illegal gold mining at noon, at the end of the afternoon and night. Only a canyon within about 1km, more than 20 camps were erected.
Faced with gold bandits
Among the camps sprouting at the canyon in Khe De area, the camp in the middle has the largest scale with about 10 people involved in gold mining. After fully preparing the belongings, we decided to invade the above camp on 9.4. Wearing a mangrove, wearing a mortar hat and wearing a forest protection outfit, we followed the trail at the mountainside and turned to the camp in the middle.
There are 6 men who are using shovels and strollers carrying rocks from the golden tunnel area to the outside. When we appeared, the group of people continued to work, the loud exploding machine was only turned off when we asked. In the shack, there are 4 people, a man about 50 years old, claiming to be the leader, saying that most of the gold miners are the people outside the province.
When asked, "How many shacks here, why do this?", The man answered: "My shack is one, Mr. Hoa is two, there is a shack and some of the shacks down there.
Taking the reason for the inspection, we went straight to the area where the explosive machine was located, witnessing the golden peach system quite large. A large explosive machine with many oil containers filled with deep yellow tunnel sucked.
The gold mining process here is organized well. The rock is dug deep, finely ground, then poured into the chemical soaked tank to separate gold. When treating gold, the machine exploded simultaneously. However, to avoid being detected, they usually only allow the machine to operate at noon, afternoon or evening and use the device to reduce bars. Wastewater after chemical soaking process will be filtered through the homemade system before discharging into the environment, in order to remove traces.
In the camp area we broke into, the group of people exploited old gold tunnels. By experience, they dug deep into the tunnel in the "braces" of gold bran. However, the surrounding inspection, we also discovered a number of forest locations that were lifted and some points were dug to "toothpick" of the new yellow tunnel.
On the way to leave the campus, we cross another area and witness every camp had an explosive machine, there were water tanks lined with canvas and accommodation of many people.
Leaving the forest area when the sky was too noon, we clung to the slit hillside, in the evening the sound of the engine exploded in the canyon area resounded, the cloudy water in Khe Can flowing downwards. In the following days, the illegal gold exploitation in the slot was still normal.
