The Da Nang People's Court on Thursday opened a trial and sentenced three women to many years in prison on the charge of arranging for others to stay illegally in Viet Nam.

The three defendants are seen at trial. Photo: LE HUNG

The defendants were Le Thi Dieu My and Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang residing in Thanh Khe and Hai Chau districts respectively, and Tran Thi Thanh Tra, a native of Long Xuyen District, An Giang Province.

According to the indictment, around October 2019, My opened a karaoke bar located on Nguyen Van Thoai Street, Ngu Hanh Son District, and called for Tra to join her business activities and promised on profit sharing.

In January 2020, Tra and My opened a massage and accommodation facility located on Tran Bach Dang Street, Ngu Hanh Son District.

In June 2020, Hang worked as a manager of the aforementioned massage and accommodation establishment with a salary of VND 5 million /month.

From July 23 to 30, 2020, My and Tra organised many times for 13 Chinese people without visas to illegally stay at this massage and accommodation establishment with facility. Of this, Hang helped My and Tra organise for 10 Chinese people without holding visas to illegally re-enter Viet Nam for two occasions.

The total amount of money My illegally obtained was VND22.4 million and Tra pocketed VND2 million.

The court sentenced My to 9 years in prison, Tra to 8 years behind bars and Hang to 5 years and 6 months in jail.

Also, My and Tra were asked to pay an additional fine of VND30 million in total.

Reporting by LE HUNG – Translating by A.THU