Authorities yesterday forced out 10 Vietnamese citizens and burned down several shrines illegally built on a Navy-controlled island off of Koh Kong province, an official said.

A group, led by Royal Cambodian Navy Admiral Tea Vinh, and consisting of military, police, environment officers and Ministry of Cults and Religion officials, cracked down on the island where the Vietnamese nationals had built shrines without permission, according to Koh Kong provincial police chief Sam Khit Vean

“They have come to build the shrines since May 2014, but they only come for one or two months then they leave,” Vean said.

The Vietnamese citizens – seven monks and three civilians – are members of an international association based in Koh Kong’s Khemarak Phumin town, and have acquired documentation allowing them to stay in Cambodia.

But despite having proper documentation, Vean added that they still were not allowed to trespass and construct shrines on Navy-owned land.

“The Vietnamese were taken back to their association and are not allowed to travel to the island again,” he said.

The Vietnamese nationals could not be reached.