At a meeting with Economics-Budget Committee under HCMC People’s Council yesterday about management and exploitation of minerals in the city in the period of 2015-2016, the department said that police and border military forces have spotted and penalized many illicit sand dredging cases since early this year.
Specifically, waterway police units have detected 25 cases, captured 118 offenders, 43 sand mining means, three barges and nearly 15,000 cubic meters of sand with the total fine of VND6 billion ($264,000).
Meantime, border military forces have spotted 37 cases, handled 91 violators and seized 89 means and 14,240 cubic meters of sand with the total penalty of VND1.9 billion ($84,000).
Violators have used more sophisticated tricks and been more reckless, raising much difficulty for authorized agencies to inspect and handle.
At the meeting, delegates said that HCMC should step up cooperation with neighboring provinces of Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre and Long An to tackle the issue. In addition, city agencies should work together more synchronously.
The city should propose the Government to supplement regulations against transport of unclear origin minerals and increase fines on illegal mineral exploitation.
