Previously, Lao Dong newspaper published an article about the situation of "Illegal sand mining on the Red River", recording the situation of many illegal sand yards and storage areas along the Red River basin in Y Can commune, Tran Yen district (now Quy Mong commune, Lao Cai province) and An Thinh commune, Van Yen district (now Mau A commune, Lao Cai province) existing and operating for many years.
In addition to illegal wharves and yards, the situation of illegal sand dredgers, outside the mine area, occurs with many sophisticated tricks, despite the careful intervention of the authorities.
On July 3, according to information from the People's Committee of Lao Cai province, Mr. Nguyen The Phuoc - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - has just signed a Decision to sanction administrative violations in the field of minerals.
The subject who was fined was Mr. Dang Xuan Hinh (born in 1967, in Xuan Quang commune, Lao Cai province), for exploiting sand and gravel in the riverbed without a mineral exploitation license from a competent state agency.
The total volume of minerals (sand, gravel) exploited at the time of discovery of violations was 801.9 m3 (including 786.8 m3 of sand and 15.1 m3 of gravel) from the end of November 2024 to the end of December 2024 and on May 8-9, 2025 in the Red River area of An Thinh commune, Van Yen district (now Mau A commune, Lao Cai province).
At the time of inspection on May 9, 2025, a number of sand dredgers owned by Mr. Hinh were mining sand outside the mine area licensed to Huong Giang General Service Cooperative. After that, the ships were pumped to the illegal gathering area of An Thai Phat Production Trading Company Limited.
Pursuant to the Government's regulations on administrative sanctions for violations in the field of water resources and minerals, the Provincial People's Committee fined Mr. Dang Xuan Hinh VND 175 million.
In addition to the fine, the authorities confiscated all the mineral exhibits including 786.8 m3 of sand and 15.1 m3 of stone that had been illegally exploited, and confiscated 1 tractor (with the registration number VR16043110), 2 ships carrying sand and gravel without the registration number.
