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 informing to find victims in the area who have had cinnamon stolen in the past to serve the investigation. "Currently, we have arrested 4 cinnamon theft suspects 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 confiscated an additional 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. With the money they earned, the group used to buy drugs.