HANOI, April 17 (Xinhua) -- A provincial party committee secretary from Vietnam's northern Quang Ninh province is now being protected around the clock by relevant forces after being threatened to be assassinated by illegal coal traders, local online newspaper VnExpress reported Thursday.

    Secretary of the Quang Ninh Party Committee Nguyen Duy Hung on April 14 received a message which said illegal coal traders in the province are planning to hire gangsters to kill him. The threat came after provincial officials conducted a crack-down on illegal coal mining, trade and transport, Hung said, noting that within three days, they temporarily seized 105 ships carrying a total of over 10,000 tons of coal.

    "I think that this is just threat of illegal coal traders. They just want us to pull back the crack-down. Nothing's worrying," he said.

    Now, the provincial police are protecting his family all day and night, and he is going to work on a specialized car.

    Quang Ninh is home to many coal mines. Illegal coal production, transport, purchase and export exist in the province.