Preventing drugs in Northwest border

	Nghe An: Achieve effectiveness in coordinating to prevent drugs and prohibited goods
	Drug transportation across border gates becomes increasingly sophisticated
	"Caught" 26kg of drugs from clues of subjects that multiple enter and exit

Seized drugs in the special case 324C. Photo: C04

Special case 324C

The Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (C04, Ministry of Public Security) informed about the dismantling of a large-scale transnational drug ring related to the Northwest region.

By professional work, C04 discovered a transnational drug trafficking ring from Laos to Dien Bien to Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang for consumption, led by Quang Van Thanh and Bac Cam Anh hiding abroad. C04 established special case 324C, determined to discover this particularly dangerous criminal organization.

After a long period of reconnaissance, on March 7, 2024, C04 caught Vi Van Luong (18 years old, in Dien Bien) and Hoang Van Tin (26 years old, in Hanoi) red-handed while delivering drugs at Nuoc Ngam bus station (Hanoi), seizing 34 kg of drugs. After urgently searching the warehouse and residence of the two suspects, the police agency seized other 26 kg of drugs.

Based on the statements of the suspects and collected documents, C04 executed an emergency detention order and searched the residences of five other suspects in the ring, seizing 1.5 kg of drugs and many related documents.

Expanding the case, C04 coordinated with Lao authorities to arrest five suspects in the ring, including Quang Van Thanh, the mastermind and two wanted (including a special wanted suspect in the Oanh Ha case).

Continuing to investigate and expand the case, on May 27, 2024, C04 arrested four other suspects in the ring, seizing 20 kg of drugs. During the pursuit, a suspect driving a container truck escaped, throwing drugs on the road to destroy evidence. The investigation agency coordinated with the local police to mobilize the masses to search and so far discovered and seized six heroin packages that the suspects threw on the road while fleeing.

By June 2024, C04 had arrested 16 suspects in the ring, seizing 81.5 kg of various drugs. The suspects confessed that they had successfully transported drugs to Vietnam many times, each trip from 30-50 kg.

Wanted suspects collude with foreign criminals

According to Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien, Director of C04, the drug crime situation on the Northwest route has remained complicated. Particularly dangerous wanted suspects hiding in Van Ho district (Son La), Mai Chau district (Hoa Binh) and Dien Bien district (Dien Bien) have colluded with domestic and foreign criminals to illegally buy, sell and transport drugs from the Golden Triangle area across the border into Vietnam and to third countries for consumption, causing many difficulties and challenges for the authorities in detecting and arresting them.

Recently, criminals have taken full advantage of advances in science and technology and cyberspace to operate, trade, transport, and organize the illegal use of drugs.

“After nearly 3 years of implementing Operational Plan No. 02 of the Ministry of Public Security and Operational Plan 3631 of C04 on preventing and combating drug crimes on the Northwest route, drug prevention and control work on the route has changed dramatically. In the six months of the 3rd year (2024-reporter) of implementing Plan 3631, local police on the Northwest route seized 1,761 cases and 2,285 drug arrests. Seized evidence included: 86 kg of heroin, 89 kg of synthetic drugs, 19 kg of opium; “The enforcement authorities mobilized and arrested 17 wanted drug suspects, eliminated 36 drug-related hotspots, and discovered and uprooted more than 10,000 plants containing drugs,” Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien emphasized.