Prosecuting and punishing "sand pirates" of Gianh River
After a series of investigative articles by Lao Dong Newspaper reflecting the rampant illegal sand mining situation on the Gianh River, on June 8, the Department of Investigation of Corruption, Economic, Smuggling, and Environmental Crimes (Economic Police Department) of Quang Tri Provincial Police said that the unit has initiated a case and prosecuted 2 defendants, Hoang Van Quan (born 1996, residing in Truong Long village, Tan Gianh commune, Quang Tri province) and Nguyen Xuan Quynh (born 1977, residing in Xuan Ha village, Tuyen Hoa commune, Quang Tri province) for the crime of violating regulations on resource exploitation.
In addition to criminal handling, the Economic Police Department issued decisions to sanction administrative violations against many other subjects. Specifically, Mr. Nguyen Khanh Tung (born 1971, residing in Truong Xuan village, Tan Gianh commune) was fined a total of 96,100,000 VND (of which the main penalty is 40 million VND and the additional penalty is 56,100,000 VND). Phan Dinh Huan (born 1984, residing in Cap Son village, Tan Gianh commune) and Hoang Van Toan (born 1968, residing in Tan Thi village, Tan Gianh commune) were also fined 25,000,000 VND each for illegal sand mining.
In addition to handling related subjects, 2 ships serving illegal sand mining activities will be handled according to the provisions of law after functional agencies complete the investigation.
Simultaneously getting involved, tightening management, preventing sand pirates from recurring
According to Riverine Police Team No. 2, Traffic Police Department of Quang Tri Provincial Police, after Lao Dong Newspaper reflected the situation of sand mining vessels on the Gianh River, the unit immediately coordinated closely with the Police of communes along the Gianh River, especially Tuyen Hoa commune to deploy a plan to patrol and propagate the Law on Inland Waterway Traffic to nearly 100 households and sand and gravel mining enterprises.
Functional forces have organized signing commitments with 9 businesses and wharf owners. 11 vehicle owners with sand dredging equipment have signed commitments not to put vehicles into use due to expired inspection; and at the same time mobilized the dismantling of illegal sand dredging equipment on 3 ships and boats.
At the grassroots level, Tuyen Hoa Commune Police advised the local inter-sectoral team to organize a conference to sign commitments with 25 owners of wooden boats with contracts with legal sand mines. Not only propaganda, Tuyen Hoa Commune Police also continuously organized night-long ambush patrol plans along river sections where illegal sand mining often occurs.
Tuyen Hoa Commune Police force discovered and filed administrative violation records for 6 cases with 6 subjects for the act of mining riverbed sand without a license from a competent state agency, collecting and remitting to the budget a total fine of up to 341,850,000 VND.
The strong involvement and "blockade" of functional forces after the reflection of Lao Dong Newspaper has initially brought clear results. The locations of fertile land along the river eroded in large patches have now stopped and are covered with green grass. At night, people on the river also have to run out of their houses to monitor and push away sand pirates because they are worried that the banks will be eroded.
Previously, after many days and nights clinging to the Gianh River section passing through Tuyen Hoa and Tan Gianh communes, a group of Lao Dong Newspaper reporters clarified the operating methods of the group of subjects illegally mining sand on the Gianh River.
From February 13, 2026, the series of investigative articles "Bringing sand pirates on the Gianh River to light" was launched in Lao Dong Newspaper, describing in detail the time and location of the event of many large-capacity ships appearing at night, approaching the riverbank and then placing suction pipes to "gut" the riverbed. After that, ships appeared to dock, pumping sand to the gathering yards that people call "Tung Cat" in Xuan Ha village (Tuyen Hoa commune) and "Son Ha" in Tan Thi village (Tan Gianh commune).
Faced with the complexity of the case, a group of Lao Dong Newspaper reporters coordinated with the Economic Police Department, Quang Tri Provincial Police to exchange information, then this unit planned to organize the siege and arrest of illegal sand mining subjects.
