Hanoi police said on November 4 that investigators had charged 97 suspects with five offences in connection with a network trafficking drugs from Cambodia to Hanoi. The charges include illegal possession and trading of narcotics, organising and using illegal drugs, and money laundering.
Another 39 people have been sent to drug rehabilitation centres.
Authorities previously dismantled the network, which transported drugs from Cambodia through Hung Yen Province to Hanoi for distribution.
During the investigation, police arrested or otherwise dealt with 136 suspects, seizing more than 39kg of various drugs, one firearm and 10 bullets.
The network was not only involved in drug trafficking but also showed signs of money laundering. Investigators found that suspects used proceeds from drug sales to buy gold and real estate in an attempt to legitimise their illicit gains.
The decision to charge 97 suspects with five offences, including money laundering, highlights the scale and complexity of the case.
Investigators are continuing to expand the probe.
