Hanoi police said on October 30 that they had coordinated with domestic investigative units and law enforcement agencies in Laos to dismantle a network involved in the illegal trafficking and transport of drugs from Laos to Vietnam.
On September 17, Hanoi police received information about a group suspected of trafficking drugs across the border.
Investigators identified the suspects and a suspected drug handover site in Xuan Phuong Ward, Hanoi.
On September 19, officers raided the location and caught Pham Tuan Cuong, born in 1993 and residing in Thanh Duc Ward, Vinh Long Province, in the act.
They seized about 25kg of methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth, at the scene.
As the investigation expanded, authorities tracked down and arrested two other suspects, Phan Van Trieu, born in 2001, and Nguyen Thanh Tuan Duy, born in 1992, both from Vinh Long Province. The pair were staying at a hotel in Laos, where officers seized an additional 30kg of methamphetamine.
On October 15, Trieu and Duy were extradited to Vietnam to face legal proceedings.
The operation resulted in the seizure of approximately 55kg of crystal meth and the arrest of three people suspected of involvement in the cross-border drug network.
Police are continuing to compile the case file, expand the investigation and clarify each suspect's role in the operation.
