With an approximate 3,200km long coastline and more than 3,000 small and large islands, along with a vast exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, the sea and islands have brought great benefits to the economic development of our country. These advantages have positively impacted marine economic sectors, but in another aspect, this poses a risk of increasing violations and crimes at sea.
In this situation, especially since the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard took effect, Vietnam Coast Guard forces have effectively strengthened presence and law enforcement at sea, contributing to solid protection of sovereignty, security, order, and safety over the sea and islands of the nation.
In the context of complicated COVID-19 developments and the situation of smuggling, trade frauds and illegal transportation of goods tend to increase at sea with more subtle tricks, criminals are taking advantage of science and technology advances to install modern equipment to identify the means of functional forces or, even more sophisticatedly, violating ships often anchor in the sea bordering the demarcation lines then take advantage of the dark night to transfer goods to smaller vessels, change their names, numbers, and routes, or move around in the middle of the sea; when finding no doubt, they will quickly transport goods to areas of discharge to fishing vessels…
To handle these tricks, Coast Guard forces have mobilized human resources and means to synchronously implement many professional measures for resolute fights against all kinds of crime at sea.
Statistics show that, in the first eight months of 2021, Coast Guard forces detected, arrested, and handled more than 500 subjects in nearly 500 cases of violation. Among these, Coast Guard forces had 63 cases with 66 subjects prosecuted; dealt with 297 cases of administrative violation with 400 subjects; and coordinated with competent forces to handle 71 cases where 112 subjects were detained.
In order to achieve these, over the past time, Coast Guard forces have fortified law enforcement such as: patrolling, inspecting, and controlling key waters; synchronously implement measures for effective coordination with functional forces in preventing and combatting smuggling, trade frauds, and illegal transportation of goods at sea.
Vietnam Coast Guard forces also regularly organize propaganda of legal policies, especially regulations of the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard, to enhance fishermen’s awareness and sense to abide by legal regulations so that they don’t join, hide or abet law violating behaviors.
Thereby, help people understand more about State management by law in the sea and islands, and be ready to join efforts with Vietnam Coast Guard forces to protect the sovereignty and national benefits at sea, and maintain security, order, and safety in sacred waters and islands of the Fatherland.
In a near future, some localities will enter the period of “new normal” amidst the COVID-19 pandemic for initial socio-economic recovery. Social vices and law violations are likely to arise more in this situation. However, with the drastic implementation of the Law on the Vietnam Coast Guard, the Coast Guard forces will strengthen coordination with functional forces in fighting, detecting, and strictly handling violations in accordance with legal regulations for a deterrent effect and firm protection of the nation’s sovereignty over the sea and islands./.
