Tay Ninh arrests company owner over illegal Bangladeshi workers

Police in Tay Ninh Province have arrested the owner of a company accused of illegally employing and sheltering 18 Bangladeshi nationals who had overstayed their visas in Vietnam.

Tay Ninh Provincial Police said on May 29 that investigators had launched criminal proceedings and detained Nguyen Minh Hung, 60, from Ho Chi Minh City, on charges of organising illegal stay for foreigners in Vietnam.

Authorities previously discovered a group of foreigners suspected of illegal residence at Thien Minh Trading, Production and Import-Export Co. Ltd in Bau Sen Hamlet, Duc Lap Commune.

During an inspection of the company, officers found 18 Bangladeshi nationals whose temporary residence permits had expired without renewal in accordance with Vietnamese regulations.

Investigators said that in January 2025, Hung, acting as representative of Thien Minh Company, signed a contract to purchase finished wood products from a company in Dong Nai Province.

By December 2025, after defects were found in the products, the partner company sent several workers, including six Bangladeshi nationals, to Thien Minh Company to carry out repairs.

During their time there, the Bangladeshi workers reportedly found the working conditions suitable and asked to remain at the company on a long-term basis, a request Hung allegedly approved.

Police said Hung was fully aware that the workers had overstayed their temporary residence permits and did not meet legal requirements for residence registration, work permits or labour contracts. Despite this, he allegedly accepted a total of 18 Bangladeshi nationals to work at the company.

According to investigators, Hung chose to employ the Bangladeshi workers because labour costs were lower than hiring Vietnamese workers and because he did not need to provide benefits such as health insurance or hazardous work allowances.

The Security Investigation Agency of Tay Ninh Provincial Police said it is continuing to expand the investigation and clarify related circumstances in accordance with the law.

The group of foreigners accused of illegal residence has been handed over to relevant authorities for administrative processing and deportation procedures.