The Ministry of Public Security on September 7 honoured forces involved in Operation 126MT, which targeted a drug trafficking ring operating in waters near the Vietnam-Indonesia maritime boundary.
According to the ministry's drug crime investigation department, foreign suspects allegedly worked with Vietnamese accomplices to transport drugs by fishing boat from foreign waters through Vietnamese waters for shipment to a third country.
The Vietnam Coast Guard, police, border guards and customs authorities launched a joint operation on May 2.
On May 25, authorities intercepted fishing boat BT-92066-TS with four crew members aboard. They found about 8,000 litres of diesel without documents proving its origin and 58 sacks concealed inside compartments along both sides of the vessel.
A search uncovered 1,160 tea packets containing 1.16 tonnes of ketamine, with an estimated illicit market value of VND 800 billion (USD 30.4 million).
Investigators later identified Tran Ngoc Danh as a key suspect in the case and arrested him and Nguyen Van Niem as they were allegedly attempting to flee the country through an unofficial border crossing.
Police said that after learning the boat had been detained, Danh asked Niem to contact several people to arrange VND 1.2 billion (USD 45,600) in an alleged attempt to bribe officials into releasing the vessel and recover the drugs hidden aboard.
Police launched criminal proceedings in the case on June 7 and have so far charged nine suspects.
Four have been charged with illegal drug transportation and four with brokering bribery, while one faces charges of both bribery and illegal drug transportation.
Authorities have also recovered more than VND 1.2 billion allegedly used for bribery and brokering bribes.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang sent letters of commendation to three units involved in the operation, while the Ministry of Public Security awarded 24 participating units.
