An Phu District in An Giang Province is home to the borderline of 42.5 kilometres with three border gates, including two major ones. With flat terrain and many rivers and paths, the area is ideal for the illegal transportation of pigs from Cambodia.
A large of illegally-imported pigs found in An Giang
According to local authorities, sophisticated tricks are used in transportation. Some were even fined VND35 million (USD1,421), but they have continued the business again due to the big profits.
Around 200-300 pigs are transported through An Phu District per day from Cambodia.
The traders arrange people to watch for local authorities and timely inform them.
Captain Ly Ke Tung from An Giang Border Guard Command said that 800 staff from the command have been assigned to work at 138 stations in the province’s border areas for both Covid-19 prevention and anti-smuggling work.
Tung noted that in many cases, pigs are carried out illegally from Cambodia into Vietnam by small boats.
In the first six months of this year, the border guards in An Giang interrupted 13 cases of illegal pig transportation with 176 pigs weighing a total of 12.3 tonnes. The force also co-operated with local customs agencies to bust four other cases involving 75 pigs.
The smugglers confessed that the pig prices in Cambodia are a few thousand Vietnam dong cheaper in Cambodia.
Illegal pig transportation often takes place between 11 pm to 3 am. Pigs are often sent to Chau Doc City.
An Phu District People’s Committee has recommended several measures to deal with the illegal pig import through the border areas, including setting up patrol stations on National Highway 91C which will help to supervise the pig transportation from An Phu to Chau Doc City.
