Luc Yen gemstone market in Yen Bai
Luc Yen – The unique gem market in Vietnam

People rush to the mountains in northern Yen Bai Province's Luc Yen District to search for precious gems. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuan Anh

The announcement was made after hundreds of people rushed to the area in search of precious gems, causing serious impacts on the environment and posing security risks.

Nguyen Duy Hieu, chief of the Party Committee Office, said the area had become crowded as hundreds of people used tools to dig into rocks on the mountains in an attempt to search for precious gems.

Hieu repeated that the rumour was inaccurate.

Reports from Luc Yen District’s Police showed that on July 1, as many as 150 people were caught digging in the area with hammers and shovels. None were equipped with proper protective clothing or tools.

The People’s Committee of northern Yen Bai Province’s Luc Yen District has rejected the rumour that a local resident dug up a precious gem worth VND5 billion. Photo: VNN

The district’s People’s Committee has established an interdisciplinary inspection team to be on duty at Yen The Township and Lieu Do Commune to stop people from going up into the mountains to dig for gems. Local police have been mobilised to stop people from digging and send them back into town.

On Sunday, about 120 people were reportedly digging for gems, and police said more people were likely to come.

The committee has asked the interdisciplinary team to make people aware of the Law on Forestry and the Law on Natural Resources, especially the sections pertaining to illegal mining.

VNS