Que Phong police looking for victims of cinnamon thefts

On the morning of December 31, Lieutenant Colonel Cao Thanh Hai - Head of Que Phong District Police said that the unit is in the process of finding victims in the area who have had their cinnamon stolen in the past to assist in the investigation. "Currently, we have arrested 4 suspects of cinnamon theft and are consolidating the case file to arrest some more related subjects," said Lieutenant Colonel Hai.

Previously, Que Phong District Police mobilized 30 officers and soldiers to simultaneously arrest 4 suspects including Mac Van Hoang (28 years old), residing in Co Nong block, Kim Son town; Luong Van Thuong (24 years old), Luong Van Hung (21 years old) and Luong Van Tai (20 years old), all residing in Muong Noc commune. The police also seized evidence including 2 motorbikes, 4 knives and 40 kg of cinnamon bark. In addition, a search of Luong Van Thuong's person also seized 0.6 grams of heroin.

One of the suspects reenacts the scene of a cinnamon theft. Photo: Lo Tim

During the initial investigation, the suspects confessed to having committed 5 cinnamon thefts in the area, with a total of 250 kg. This group often rode motorbikes carrying knives and sacks into remote cinnamon forests with few people passing by to steal. They often chose trees that were decades old. After stealing, the group brought them to sell to a trader residing in Que Phong town for 10,000 VND/kg, even though the market price was about 25,000 kg. The group used the money they earned to buy drugs.