Le Anh Quan, head of Mong Cai city’s Criminal Police Division, said new forms of human trafficking, including the illegal trade of infants and newborn babies, as well as the trafficking of Cambodian nationals had occurred in the region.Individuals from both sides of the border area are involved in the trafficking of young children to China, focusing on disadvantaged women or those who are too old to get married. The police have faced a number of difficulties during the investigation, he said.One case involved a 27-year-old who married a Chinese man and was mistreated by her husband’s family. After fleeing from the husband’s family, she returned to Vietnam.Facing financial hardship, the woman decided to sell her baby and contacted a broker in HCM City.
A Chinese couple has agreed to buy the child for 50,000 yuan. But police from Mong Cai city uncovered the case as the woman attempted to cross the border, managing to prevent the trade taking place.Earlier, the city police had rescued a one-month-old girl who was being sold to buyers in China.Last year, several cases involving the trafficking of Cambodian women to China were also uncovered by police.Traffickers have taken advantage of the region as a transition point to transport people to the neighbouring country, Quan said.To prevent human trafficking, the police have coordinated with border guards to patrol hotspots and paths, he said, adding that even these measures do not go far enough.It is necessary to improve awareness among residents as well as strengthen education about the tricks and methods employed human traffickers, he said.