Authorities busted a massive nitrous oxide (laughing gas) production ring, arresting 11 suspects.
The police have just initiated a criminal case, charged the suspects, and executed arrest warrants for 11 individuals involved in a large-scale inter-provincial ring producing and trading nitrous oxide (laughing gas).
The Thanh Hoa Provincial Police announced that they have just dismantled a ring specializing in the production and sale of illegal substances – nitrous oxide (N2O) – in extremely large quantities.
This network operates in many provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc, Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, etc., employing very sophisticated and complex methods.
The Thanh Hoa Provincial Police have launched a special investigation, concentrating forces and operational measures to combat and eradicate the operation.
At approximately 1:00 AM on May 2nd, at H2 Lounge in But Son town, Hoang Hoa district, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department, in coordination with the Administrative Police Department for Social Order and the But Son Town Police, conducted an administrative inspection of four individuals with permanent residence in Hanoi.
All four tested positive for drugs. During a search of their residence, police seized a 2.2 kg cylinder of N2O gas along with other related evidence.drug use.
Continuing the expanded investigation of the case, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Police, in coordination with the professional departments of the Ministry of Public Security, the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department of Hanoi City, and the Vinh Phuc Provincial Police, arrested Nguyen Phuong Tay (born in 1985), residing in Phu Xuan commune, Binh Xuyen district, Vinh Phuc province. They seized 12 bags of methamphetamine, 10 bags of ketamine, approximately 500 ecstasy pills, 120 MDMA pills, 1 bag of heroin, and 5 bags of "happy water."
During a search of an apartment building in Quang Trung ward, Ha Dong district, Hanoi, authorities also discovered five individuals suspected of organizing and illegally using narcotics. They seized 20 ecstasy pills, 10 bags of ketamine, and a set of drug paraphernalia.
In addition, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Police, in coordination with the Hanoi and Hai Phong City Police and the police of relevant communes and wards, organized simultaneous raids and urgent searches at three workshops that the suspects had rented and used for machinery to produce N2O gas.
The police seized the entire system of machinery and production lines for bottling N2O gas; 177 metal cylinders containing compressed N2O gas (each cylinder containing approximately 30kg of N2O gas), equivalent to 5.25 tons of gas; 27 metal cylinder shells; approximately 130kg of raw materials used to produce N2O gas; and documents recording production figures and the operation and functioning of the machinery.
During a search of a warehouse located about 500 meters from the production area, police seized approximately 12 tons of raw materials used to produce nitrous oxide (laughing gas)...
The operation at this facility was run by Luong Thai Linh and Nguyen Ngoc Binh (born in 1992), residing in Bich Hoa commune, Thanh Oai district, Hanoi, and To The Minh Tri (born in 1993), residing in Dong Van commune, Yen Lac district, Vinh Phuc province, who jointly invested in purchasing machinery, equipment, and raw materials to operate and produce goods themselves.
To date, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Police have initiated criminal proceedings, indicted suspects, and executed arrest warrants and detention orders against 11 individuals involved in the case for investigation and clarification of the crimes of "Organizing the illegal use of narcotics," "Illegally trading narcotics," and "Producing and trading prohibited goods."
