HCM CITY: Police in HCM City have deported 115 Cambodian nationals found staying illegally in Vietnam, as part of a crackdown on a network accused of helping foreigners evade immigration regulations.
The HCM City Police's Immigration Department said it had coordinated with other units to carry out the deportations on Wednesday, handing the Cambodian nationals over to Cambodian authorities.
The case came to light on Aug 25, when police conducted surprise inspections at two guesthouses in Tan Hiep Ward, HCM City, following reports from local residents and intelligence gathering.
Officers found 151 Cambodian nationals staying at the two establishments, neither of which had registered temporary residence of foreigners with the authorities, police said.
The guesthouses, Hoang Anh 1, owned by Nguyen Van Cong, and Nguyen Viet Binh, owned by Nguyen Thi Thom, also known as Phạm Thi Thom, were allegedly used to conceal the presence of the Cambodian nationals from authorities.
Following an initial investigation, the HCM City Police's Security Investigation Agency launched criminal proceedings and charged six people with organising or facilitating the illegal stay of others in Vietnam.
Police oversee foreign nationals boarding buses ahead of their deportation.
The suspects comprise four Vietnamese nationals, including Nguyen Van Cong, Phạm Thị Thơm, Truong Hoan Vu, Ho Thi Ven, and two Cambodian nationals, Serng Kumpheak Many and Kung Kimseng.
Police said the 115 deportees were transferred safely to Cambodian authorities on Wednesday in accordance with the law.
The immigration department urged accommodation providers to comply with regulations requiring them to register foreign guests' temporary residence and warned against harbouring foreigners who have overstayed their permitted stay, entered the country illegally or worked without authorisation.
Violations would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law, it said. — Vietnam News/ANN
