Vernazza Joseph Alexander, 27, at the Danang City police station. (Photo courtesy of the police)
Police in the central city of Danang on Saturday announced they have arrested a British man for illegally possessing a military-grade handgun, following reports that he had brandished the weapon at a local bar.
The Criminal Police Division of the Danang Police Department said it had coordinated with Ngu Hanh Son Commune's police to investigate and detain Vernazza Joseph Alexander, 37, for storing a metal handgun with a magazine containing 12 bullets.
Authorities were first alerted on September 11 when a local resident, Nguyen Thi Thanh Tr. (born 1984), reported that a foreign man had taken out an object resembling a gun at the Sham Rock bar on An Thượng 32 Street, Ngu Hanh Son Commune, before concealing it and leaving the premises.
Recognising the seriousness of the case, the Criminal Police Division immediately deployed officers to trace the suspect. Investigators later identified a foreign man matching the description hiding at a residence on Le Cao Lang Street in Cam Le District.
On September 12, police conducted an administrative inspection at the address, where they found Alexander residing. A search of the premises uncovered a handgun marked “CF98-9” and “01568909238” along with 12 rounds stored in a magazine inside a wardrobe on the second floor.
During questioning, Alexander admitted he had purchased the firearm in Cambodia in late 2024 for USD 700 for self-defence. He told investigators that in the early hours of September 5, he and his daughter had visited Sham Rock bar, where he became involved in a dispute with another foreigner, reportedly an Irish national. Alexander then returned to his residence to retrieve the gun, brought it back to the bar, briefly displayed it, and then left.
Police said Alexander had entered Vietnam in 2019 and had lived in several provinces and cities, including Lao Cai, HCM City, Gia Lai, Can Tho, Lang Son, Nghe An, Hanoi, Quang Ninh and Haiphong. He reportedly moved to Danang in April 2025, staying at a rental home arranged by a local resident.
The Criminal Police Division has placed Alexander in temporary custody on charges of illegal possession of military weapons and is consolidating evidence for further legal proceedings.
