Authorities "cut off" the drug trafficking ring of a Laotian kingpin.
(Baonghean.vn) - Tho No Bi is a Laotian national but is familiar with the Vietnamese terrain. He frequently poses as a forest worker or farmer to transport large quantities of drugs deep into the interior of Que Phong district for consumption.
In the final days of 2018, through intelligence gathered, border guard scouts identified a massive drug trafficking ring transporting narcotics from across the border into Vietnam for consumption through the Thong Thu border area in Que Phong district.
Border patrol officers determined that this was a large-scale, transnational synthetic drug trafficking ring, carried out by young, strong individuals familiar with the mountainous terrain.
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| Thò Nỏ Bì and the seized evidence. Photo: Hải Thượng |
In order to combat and disrupt this drug trafficking ring, Special Case 011A was established with the participation of the Northern Anti-Drug and Crime Task Force under the Anti-Drug and Crime Department, the Anti-Drug and Crime Department of the Nghe An Border Guard, and the Thong Thu Border Guard Post.
Through investigation and verification, the task force identified the ringleader as Tho No Bi, a Hmong ethnic minority residing in Pa Khom village, Vieng Phan cluster, Sam To district, Hua Phan province (Laos). Tho No Bi personally transported goods from across the border, cutting through the forest into Vietnam for sale under the guise of going into the forest or working in the fields, thus causing considerable difficulties for the Border Guard force in cracking the case.
Recently, Vietnamese authorities have intensified their efforts to combat and prevent drug-related crimes, particularly through increasingly in-depth and effective coordination with their Lao counterparts in the fight against drug crime.
Despite this, with the enormous profits from drug trafficking, Tho No Bi found every way to smuggle drugs from across the border into Vietnam to sell for profit. To ensure a supply of drugs for his partners, Tho No Bi bought drugs from the Golden Triangle area and hid them in his house, waiting for the right opportunity to sell them. He also bought drugs from other smaller dealers to make a large shipment at the end of the year.
In late December 2018, intelligence reports indicated that Tho No Bi would be directly transporting a large quantity of synthetic drugs and methamphetamine—tens of thousands—from across the border into Vietnam via the border commune of Thong Thu for distribution. The special task force decided to crack down on the operation.
Unlike previous deliveries, which were usually carried out at night, this time Thò Nỏ Bì decided to make the delivery at noon, when least expected.
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| The large quantity of drugs that Bi was transporting for sale. Photo: Hai Thuong |
At approximately 1:15 PM on December 27th, posing as a forest worker, Tho No Bi carried a sack full of "goods" from Pa Khom village, Vieng Phan cluster of villages, Sam To district, Hua Phan province (Laos), cutting through the forest towards the Thong Thu border, Que Phong district.
The shipment, which seemed to be going smoothly for delivery to the partner, was intercepted when Bi arrived at the border area in Muong Phu village, Thong Thu commune, Que Phong district, and was arrested by law enforcement along with all the evidence: 50,000 synthetic drug pills and 6 kg of methamphetamine.
The case has now been handed over by the Nghe An Border Guard to the relevant authorities for further investigation.