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On March 11, information from Lai Chau Provincial Police said they were investigating illegal gold mining that resulted in one death in Noong Heo commune, Sin Ho district.
Accordingly, on March 9, Sin Ho District Police received information from the public about the death of Lo Van Hai, born in 1993, residing in Noong Heo 1 village, Noong Heo commune, of unknown cause. His family buried him according to local customs.
After receiving the information, Sin Ho District Police initially confirmed that the victim was Lo Van Hai, who had been working as an illegal gold miner for Mr. Lo Van Uong, born in 1975, residing in Noong Heo Commune, Sin Ho District since February 25. At around 5:00 p.m. on March 8, at the illegal gold mining site, the victim slipped and fell into a deep cave, resulting in his death on the spot. At around 9:00 p.m. the same day, the family carried the victim's body home and the next day organized a burial at the local cemetery.
After hearing the report of the Sin Ho District Police, the Provincial Police Department's Board of Directors found that the mining situation in Sin Ho District was illegal. Although the Provincial People's Committee has directed serious and drastic solutions, especially since October 2022, mines have been detonated to collapse mines, there are still people secretly entering the forest to illegally mine gold. This is an incident with serious consequences that needs to be investigated and handled in accordance with regulations, not allowing the situation of "the ringleaders arranging" in a secret agreement, the "ringleaders" illegally mining gold to remain outside the law. The Provincial Police Department has assigned the Criminal Police Department and the Criminal Techniques Department to coordinate with the Sin Ho District Police to urgently investigate the case.
The police agency summoned the subject Lo Van Uong. Uong confessed that although he was well aware of the provisions of the law and the policy of strictly prohibiting illegal mining (gold), because of greed, since August 2023, Uong and 6 other people pooled money to buy vehicles, recruited gold miners to secretly go to areas 6 and 7 in Noong Heo commune to set up a shack and then organized the excavation of old mines that had been demolished by the authorities since 2022. This is a place very far from residential areas, located in dense forests, so it is difficult to detect. During the mining process, Uong and the participants collected a large amount of gold, many times bringing it to sell to Tuan Tuyen gold shop in Lai Chau city and some other gold shops, earning more than 6 billion VND.
On February 25, Uong hired Lo Van Hai to go to the illegal gold mining area in Phieng Trang village, Noong Heo commune, Sin Ho district to dig and grind gold ore. At around 5:30 p.m. on March 8, while Hai was climbing the stairs in the cave, he slipped and fell into the cave (about 50m high), leading to his death. After the incident, Lo Van Uong, fearing legal action, negotiated and agreed to compensate Hai's family with 250 million VND. Uong paid 150 million VND in advance, and would send the remaining 100 million VND later.
On March 10, the Investigation Police Agency of Lai Chau Provincial Police worked with Tuan Tuyen Gold and Silver Private Enterprise headquartered in Doan Ket Ward, Lai Chau City to collect documents and evidence. The results determined that from September 2023 to November 2023, Lo Van Uong had visited Tuan Tuyen Gold and Silver Shop many times to weigh, determine the age of gold and sell illegally mined gold to this facility, the most time earning over 700 million VND.
Currently, the Investigation Police Agency (Criminal Police Department of Lai Chau Provincial Police) is continuing to investigate and complete procedures to initiate an investigation into the case of violations of regulations on research, exploration and exploitation of natural resources, and at the same time continue to investigate and expand other violations to strictly handle according to the provisions of law for other related organizations and individuals. The Investigation Police Agency resolutely implements the provisions of law and the direction of the Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee to thoroughly handle and prevent the recurrence of illegal gold mining in the area, causing many complicated consequences. The investigation process is in accordance with the spirit of "no forbidden areas" and "handling one case to warn the whole region and the whole field".
