A Vietnamese court has jailed six people smugglers for trafficking more than a hundred migrants to Australia.
A court official said on Thursday that the Vietnamese men were found guilty of "organising illegal escape to foreign countries" at a hearing in southern Ba Ria Vung Tau province on Wednesday.
The sentences ranged from three to six-and-a-half years in jail.
Media reports said 48-year-old ring leader Nguyen Dinh Chien and his accomplices organised three trips, sailing 124 people to Australia between May 2010 and April 2011, charging each passenger $A7,000.
All of the migrants were held in processing centres after landing in Australia, the Thanh Nien newspaper said.
On Sunday, police in Ba Ria Vung Tau arrested 28 people hiding in a boat preparing to head for Australia.
Lao Dong newspaper said they were willing to pay a boat crew up to $13,000 each to get there "for a more comfortable life".
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