Nghe An Border Guards 'capture' transnational drug trafficking ring

In early November 2023, the anti-drug and anti-crime force of Nghe An Border Guard received information about a drug supply line from across the border to Vietnam in large quantities, ready to deliver to customers when needed.

On that basis, the detectives have investigated and verified, and the authorities have grasped the modus operandi and transportation methods that the subjects of this transnational drug ring often apply. According to the documents collected by the detectives, in the ring, there is Co Xong, only about 30 years old, directly operating the ring, not only being the coordinator of the goods, but also willing to directly transport goods for partners if paid handsomely.

Because the project was established at the end of the year, coinciding with the Lunar New Year of Vietnam, although the partner was in great need of goods, to ensure safety, Co Xong did not organize delivery to the partner. According to him, these days the authorities have increased patrolling and border protection activities, so if they operate, they are easily detected and arrested.

In early April 2024, Co Xong received a phone call from his trusted junior, Cha Menh Vu, informing him that a man in Muong Moc district, Xieng Khuang province (Laos) was looking for help in finding a source to buy drugs to bring to Vietnam for his partner. After agreeing on the price, Co Xong sent the goods home to wait for the day to bring them to Vietnam for his partner.

On the morning of April 4, 2024, pretending to be relatives from Laos coming to Vietnam to visit and invite them to celebrate the traditional Laotian New Year Punmimay, Co Xong and Cha Menh Vu rode a motorbike together, along with the agreed amount of drugs with the partner towards the Vietnamese border to deliver the goods.

Immediately, the information was reported by the detectives to the Special Task Force, and the investigation team was fully deployed at the location in Huoi Khe village, Muong Ai commune, Ky Son district to investigate the case.

At about 9:15 a.m. the same day, a motorbike with two men who looked like the scouts reported appeared. The opportunity to crack the case was ripe, the undercover force asked the two men to stop the vehicle for inspection, when meeting the authorities, the subjects intended to throw away the evidence and run to the other side of the border to escape, but the scouts promptly controlled and brought the two subjects to Muong Ai Border Guard Station for investigation.

At Muong Ai Border Guard Station, the driver confessed to being Co Xong (born in 1994), Lao nationality, permanent residence in Nong Pong village, Kham Cot district, Bo Ly Kham Xay province (Laos), self-employed, and the person sitting behind was Cha Menh Vu (born in 1978), Lao nationality, permanent residence in Phon Hong village, Kham Cot district, Bo Ly Kham Xay province (Laos).

Searching the bags of the subjects, the Border Guard force seized 36,000 pink tablets (the two subjects confessed to being synthetic drugs in the form of pink tablets), 1 motorbike, 1 knife, 3 phones and some related evidence.

According to the subjects' statements, if the above goods were successfully delivered to the Vietnamese partner, in addition to the goods price, the subjects would receive a salary of 6,000 USD. However, when arriving at the above location, they were discovered and arrested by the Nghe An Border Guard force.

Currently, Nghe An Border Guard force is expanding the investigation of the case, completing the dossier, and handing it over to the competent authorities for handling according to the provisions of law.