Officers and men from the Criminals and Drug-related Crime Investigation Division of the Da Nang Border Guard High Command have smashed a large-scale drug trafficking ring after only 2 months of investigations.

Municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman Tran Van Mien (2nd, left) presenting a reward in cash to representatives from the Criminals and Drug-related Crime Investigation Division

Drug dealers involved in the ring specialised in transporting drugs from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang for selling them to drug-addicts, and in bars and discotheques across the central city.  

On 14 April, Van Le Ngoc Hung, 25, from Son Tra District’s Tho Quang Ward was caught red-handed by the local border guards as he was selling drugs to Le Thi Xuan, 27, from the same ward as Hung and Le Quoc Viet, 25, from Man Thai Ward.

During these arrests, a total of 12 boxes of synthetic drugs, 130 tablets of ecstasy, with a combined total of 55.77g were seized.

On 16 May, at a hostel in Lien Chieu District’s Hoa Minh Ward, the border guards captured some persons whilst they were receiving drugs from a man from Ho Chi Minh City.

A total of 400 tablets of ecstasy, 1 package of ketamine, 1 motorcycle, 5 mobile phones and 4.5 million VND in cash at the scene, were confiscated.

Two suspected drug recipients who are residing in Da Nang have already been prosecuted for their involvement in the ring, namely Le Van Hoang Thinh, 23, from Son Tra District and Dinh Cong Tinh, 23, from Thanh Khe District, whilst a drugs courier from Ho Chi Minh City’s Go Vap District is due to go trial.

The total volume of drugs confiscated by the local border guards in the whole drug distribution ring is up to 181.569g.

Colonel Ton Quoc Khanh, the commander of the Da Nang Border Guard High Command, said the drug criminals employed cunning tricks in a bid to avoid being spotted by relevant agencies and defy the country’s regulations.

Colonel Nguyen Hai, the Political Commissar of the municipal Border Guard High Command, highly appreciated the discovery of such a large-scale drugs ring.

He added that this outstanding achievement was in active response to patriotic emulation movements in recognition of the 118th birth anniversary of the late Ho Chi Minh and following his teachings exclusively for border guard forces. 

In the coming time, local border guards will continue joining forces with other relevant local agencies to promote the ongoing tough fight against crimes, especially drugs-related cases, hereby helping to ensure the security.

Viet Nam has some of the world’s toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing/smuggling 100 grams of heroin or cocaine or 300 grams of other drugs face capital punishment.