The hunt for a drug lord with an AK gun and homemade mine on top of Doc Moi

(Baonghean.vn) - He used to be a teacher but was tempted by illegal money, so Tai quit his job to sell drugs. When he was surrounded and arrested, he fought back frantically, injuring two police officers.

Tuong Duong District Police said that the especially dangerous wanted person Kha Thanh Tai (born in 1976, residing in Xa Luong Commune, Tuong Duong District) had just been arrested while illegally buying and selling drugs. Tai's path from a teacher living in a remote area to a drug lord has shocked many people.

Former money-hungry teacher

Tai used to be an elementary school teacher, but because his salary could not satisfy his love of playing, he quit his job and became an important link in the drug trafficking network from Laos to Vietnam.

The incident was discovered, Tai was prosecuted for “Illegal possession of narcotics”, got into trouble with the law and was expelled from the education sector. This teacher’s downfall also started from there.

After completing his prison term, not only did Kha Thanh Tai not turn to goodness, he also fell deeper into sin.

Kha Thanh Tai at the police station. Photo: Dinh Ty

Choosing the Doc Moi area – once a “hot spot” for drugs to operate, Kha Thanh Tai set up a headquarters, organizing addicts to buy, sell, and transport drugs. Many times the authorities organized raids, but taking advantage of the difficult terrain, Tai quickly escaped into the deep forest.

In March 2016, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department of Nghe An Police issued a nationwide arrest warrant for Kha Thanh Tai for the crime of illegal drug trafficking. Five months later, Tuong Duong District Police continued to issue a warrant for Kha Thanh Tai for the same crime, but Tai disappeared from the area without leaving a trace.

After a period of silence, Kha Thanh Tai appeared in Tuong Duong, recruited a number of followers, set up a shack on Doc Moi to continue trading drugs. With his recklessness, along with an AK always hanging from his chest and several grenades and homemade mines tucked into his waist, Tai made many of his followers fear him.

Buy weapons to traffic drugs

To destroy this drug den, Tuong Duong District Police mobilized all their forces to carry out the task. The task force sent 10 comrades to go deep into the area to grasp the situation, to work hard and get timely information about Kha Thanh Tai's movements.

At around 2am on December 10, when they received information that Kha Thanh Tai was staying at the camp on Doc Moi hill, the task force decided to approach this location to arrest him. However, when the detectives were quietly approaching, they suddenly heard the sound of dogs barking.

Tai always carries a weapon with him for self-defense. Photo: Ha Thu

With a high sense of alertness, Tai used his AK gun to shoot randomly in all directions, including a series of bullets aimed at the working group, injuring two police officers. Tai jumped into the abyss to escape.

Immediately after his failed arrest, Kha Thanh Tai fled into the deep forest. Determined not to let this particularly dangerous subject be at large, Tuong Duong District Police concentrated all their forces, determined to capture Kha Thanh Tai as soon as possible.

From December 11 to 15, Tuong Duong District Police established 5 working groups to track down Kha Thanh Tai's traces and connections. Because he was a local and familiar with the mountainous terrain, it was very difficult to track him down. Every day, his underlings took turns supplying and keeping watch for their boss.

To capture this extremely daring fugitive, the task force was ordered to hide in the forest, waiting for the right opportunity. At 4am on December 17, realizing that the opportunity to solve the case had come, the attack groups moved quietly in the fog, gradually closing the encirclement.

Kha Thanh Tai, after many days on the run, was sleeping soundly but still holding the AK gun in his hand. In a flash, the detectives closed in and arrested Tai, leaving him no time to react.

The detectives seized a homemade mine, an AK gun, 17 bullets, one of which was loaded, a machete, and 5.6 grams of heroin. Tai confessed that he bought all the above weapons to illegally buy and sell drugs and to fight back against the authorities when being arrested.

Currently, Tuong Duong District Police are consolidating documents and evidence to prosecute Kha Thanh Tai for the crimes of "Illegal drug trafficking", "Illegal possession of military weapons" and "Resisting people on official duty".

Nguyen Hung - Ha Thu