The raid to capture a drug lord with a special warrant in Nghe An

Arresting a wanted person, eliminating a drug den using firearms

(Baonghean.vn) - Thi is a particularly dangerous wanted person for drugs. They use firearms and set up a shack to organize illegal drug trafficking.

At 12:45 p.m. on May 8, Nghe An Provincial Police mobilized many officers and soldiers from the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department and Tuong Duong District Police to surround and attack a group of people armed with firearms, organizing the illegal buying and selling of drugs in the Pu Lom hill area, Dua village, Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district.

During the raid, the police arrested the main suspect, Lo Van Thi (born in 1963, residing in Dua village, Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district). The remaining suspects quickly escaped into the deep forest. At the scene, the police seized 100 grams of various drugs, 1 pistol, 1 flintlock gun, 8 bullets, 1 grenade, 2 knives, and 3 small scales.

Subject Lo Van Thi. Photo: Duc Vu

According to the police, Thi's drug trading point had been established for a long time, many addicts inside and outside the village came to buy and use drugs, causing a complicated security situation. To facilitate the buying and selling of drugs, Lo Van Thi lived separately from his wife and children, built a shack in the forest, and only returned home occasionally to get food.

Tuong Duong District Police have organized many attempts to arrest Lo Van Thi but have not succeeded. In April 2019, Tuong Duong District Police issued a wanted notice for Thi for illegal drug trafficking. However, with Thi's "smartness and cunning", catching the subject is not an easy task.

Major Nguyen Anh Tuan - Captain of the Drug Police Department, who directly participated in the arrest of Lo Van Thi, said,The area chosen by the subjects to buy and sell drugs was on top of Pu Lom hill, surrounded by rugged mountains and forests. From the foot of the hill to the mountain about 250m, Thi and his juniors built 4 shacks, the purpose was for addicts to come buy drugs, then use them right in the shacks; each shack was assigned a few trusted subjects equipped with guns to keep watch.

There was also a secret shack that no one knew about, including his juniors. There, Lo Van Thi directly used drugs after each successful transaction.

Lo Van Thi's vigilance and wisdom were shown in that addicts who came to buy drugs had to be "approved" by Thi's juniors before being allowed into the shack. Thi passed the drugs to his juniors and then to the addicts. From morning to night, dozens of people came to buy and sell drugs.

Therefore, it was not easy for strangers to approach Lo Van Thi. For people from other provinces who came to buy drugs, Lo Van Thi arranged for his juniors to check at Xop Mat bridge (about 7km from Thi's gathering place). Only when they felt safe and trustworthy would they let people in to get the "goods". Lo Van Thi always carried a gun and grenades with him, the grenades were always ready in his hand, and the guns were tucked into his pants.

Evidence seized by the police. Photo: Vu Tuan

After understanding the operating patterns of the main suspect Lo Van Thi and his followers, Task Force 918C decided to solve the case, successfully arresting Lo Van Thi along with many exhibits serving the illegal buying and selling of drugs.

The successful arrest of the especially dangerous wanted person Lo Van Thi, and the elimination of the illegal drug buying and selling spot in Ban Dua, Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district, has been highly recognized and supported by the local Party Committee, government as well as the people.

Previously, in phase 1 and phase 2 of Project 918C, Nghe An Provincial Police also eliminated 2 complex drug dens deep in the forest in Tuong Duong district, killed 1 subject, arrested many related subjects along with a large amount of drugs and weapons.