Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hang, 46, and Nguyen Van Khanh, 28. - Vietnam News
HANOI: Two women and a man have been arrested for facilitating people smuggling to Australia through Buddhist institutions using fake credentials.
The gang went to extreme lengths and even instructed a man to shave his head, wear robes and take photographs at a pagoda in order to give the impression he was a Buddhist monk.
They then contacted Buddhist organisations in Australia to obtain an invitation letter so the man could enter the country.
But the plan was that when he arrived in Australia, he would not be there to study at a retreat, but instead work illegally on a farm.
The Investigation Security Agency in the central province of Ha Tinh have arrested the trio for trafficking and forging seals and documents of agencies and organisations.
The decision has been approved by the People's Procuracy at the same level.
The three people arrested are Dau Thi Khuyen, 52, from Ha Tinh Province’s Nghi Xuan District, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hang, 46, from HCM City’s District 7, and Nguyen Van Khanh, 28, who lives in Dong Nai Province.
According to the case file, since the end of 2023, Ha Tinh Province Police had obtained information that several individuals were exploiting Buddhist institutions' frequent organisation of study retreats in Australia for Buddhists worldwide.
They connected and organised for many people in various localities to illegally flee to Australia for labour by forging monk credentials. The cost for each successful trip was VND300 million (US$11,785.50) per person.
The police determined that at the beginning of 2024, Khuyen and Hang agreed to organise for Ho Van Thin, 36, residing in Nghe An Province, to go to Australia for labour under the guise of a monk on a study retreat.
Once Thin successfully entered Australia, Hang would arrange for an acquaintance to pick him up and place him in agricultural work in Australia.
In February 2024, Hang and Khuyen directly arranged for Thin to shave his head, wear monk robes, and go to Kim Quang Pagoda in Da Nang City’s Lien Chieu District to take photos, pretending to participate in the pagoda's activities for the visa application file to Australia.
Next, Hang contacted religious institutions in Australia to obtain an invitation letter for Thin to participate in Buddhist activities under the guise of a monk practising at Kim Quang Pagoda with the monastic name Thich Giac Ngo.
Hang then contacted Khanh to alter Thin's portrait on his citizen identification card to make him appear as a Buddhist follower.
On the night of May 4, after receiving payment, Hang handed over the travel visa to Australia to Thin and arranged for a car to take him to HCM City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport for departure procedures.
At the airport, Thin was stopped by authorities to clarify related matters. There is no suggestion any Buddhist organisation was aware of the illegal activities.
The Ha Tinh Province Police are continuing to investigate the case. – Vietnam News/ANN
