How was the fugitive in Nghe An arrested after 13 years on the run?

On April 16, Tuong Duong District Police handed over Hoc Van Duc (born in 1964, residing in Huu Duong Commune (old), Tuong Duong District) to the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (PC47) of the Provincial Police to continue investigating the illegal drug trafficking. Hoc Van Duc has been wanted by PC47 nationwide since 2005.

After 13 years on the run, Hoc Van Duc was arrested by Tuong Duong District Police in coordination with Nhon Mai Border Guard Station on the evening of April 14.

Subject: Hoc Van Duc. Photo: Nhu Binh

In 2005, after being discovered involved in an illegal drug trafficking case, Hoc Van Duc quickly escaped into the deep forest, close to the Vietnam - Laos border area. To avoid detection by authorities, Duc frequently moved along the border area from Tuong Duong district to Que Phong.

During his escape, Duc bought a Kbin gun and 3 bullets for self-defense and made 4 homemade guns. Since then, these weapons have become the fugitive's inseparable items.

After many years had passed, thinking that the authorities had “forgotten” him, Duc crept back to the area of ​​Xoi Voi village (Nhon Mai commune) - where his wife and children moved to live after being cleared to make way for the Ban Ve hydroelectric project.

However, with the mentality of a fugitive from the law, Duc chose a dense, deserted forest near Xoi Voi village to build a hideout. Thanks to his family's support, his life was better than his previous hunting and gathering time. To avoid the attention of the villagers, he rarely showed his face outside the hut. Only when absolutely necessary, Duc would return home briefly and then leave that same night. When Duc's two children got married, he disguised himself as a guest from far away attending the wedding and quickly returned to his hideout.

After many unsuccessful attempts to capture him, in March 2018, the Tuong Duong District Police made a plan to ensure that this particularly dangerous wanted person would not be at large. The difficulty was that Duc lived in isolation in the forest, and at the slightest movement, he would jump into the ravine and disappear into the forest without leaving a trace.

Weapons confiscated by authorities from Hoc Van Duc. Photo: Nhu Binh

Approaching Duc's hideout was not easy either, as any stranger appearing near the village would be reported to the forest by Duc's wife and children so he could escape in time. He kept a pack of fierce dogs, and anyone who intended to enter Duc's "territory" would be detected by the dogs.

Duc always kept a loaded Kbin pistol, ready to open fire when surrounded and captured. Therefore, in addition to successfully capturing the subject, ensuring absolute safety for the reconnaissance force must be given top priority.

After nearly 2 months of hiding in the forest, the opportunity to capture the particularly dangerous fugitive came when on the evening of April 14, Hoc Van Duc left the hiding area to return home to get food and clothes. Tuong Duong District Police mobilized all forces, coordinated with Nhon Mai Border Guard Station to deploy a plan to surround and capture him. To avoid causing alarm, which could endanger the villagers, and to avoid the possibility of being stopped by Duc's relatives, the surrounding forces decided to "intercept" the subject right in the shack.

Nghe An: Captured fugitive who had been in the deep forest for 13 years with many hot weapons

(Baonghean.vn) - After being wanted in 2005, Hoc Van Duc built a camp in the deep forest and bought many hot weapons to fight against the authorities.

“Before that, Duc’s pack of ferocious dogs had been neutralized. It was raining heavily, everyone was hungry and cold. It was the last night of the month, pitch black, not easy to spot the target. The longer we waited, the more impatient we became when it was almost 11 pm and the subject still hadn’t appeared,” said a detective who participated in the hunt for Hoc Van Duc.

As expected, after 2 hours of disappearing from the shack, Hoc Van Duc returned. As soon as he stepped through the shack door, the ambush detectives rushed out, knocked him down and successfully restrained him. The incident happened so quickly that the gun was kicked out of his hand but Duc did not have time to react.

Knowing that he had been exposed, Hoc Van Duc obediently put his hands in handcuffs, ending his 13 years on the run. The authorities also seized a Kbin gun, 3 Kbin bullets, 1 ammunition box and 4 homemade guns in Duc's shack.