'Weapons factory' busted, youngest suspect only 12 years old
The police identified Tran Anh D. and Cao Thanh M. as the two ringleaders and masterminds in gathering and manufacturing weapons to resolve conflicts with another group of young people.
On August 4, Bach Mai Ward Police (Hanoi) said they are consolidating records to handle a group of teenagers who have been storing and transporting drugs.weapon manufacturingillegal rudimentary. It is worth mentioning that the subjects in the group are all very young, the youngest is only 12 years old.
The identities of this group include: Tran Anh D. (born in 2009, residing in Vinh Hung ward, with 1 criminal record); Cao Thanh M. (born in 2011, residing in Bach Mai ward); NTS (born in 2009, residing in Vinh Tuy ward); TNM (born in 2012, residing in Hong Ha ward); LTQV and CBL (both born in 2008, residing in Hai Ba Trung ward).
According to Lieutenant Colonel Vu Thai Son - Chief of Bach Mai Ward Police, on the afternoon of July 30, the police force discovered unusual signs when many teenagers continuously appeared at a house in lane 85 of Lien Phai pagoda.
"For more than an hour, each subject appeared one by one, carrying large sacks into the above house. After that, the door was closed, no one went in or out. Immediately, the working group of the ward police coordinated with the local police to raid and conduct an administrative inspection," Lieutenant Colonel Son recounted.
At the scene, the police discovered 6 teenagers gathering with many dangerous weapons, including: 2 iron ball guns, 20 iron pipes (of which, 5 pipes had been welded with sharp knives and saw blades), welding machines and other manufacturing support tools.
Through quick investigation, the police identified Tran Anh D. and Cao Thanh M. as the two ringleaders and masterminds. The reason stemmed from a conflict with another group of teenagers. On July 29, D. called M. to discuss and proposed bringing “materials” to M.’s house to make weapons.
That same afternoon, D. brought a saw blade, a welding machine, and about 20 pig-stabbing knives. D. stated that these weapons were provided by a friend he knew outside of society named Vu. Knowing that M. had opened a "workshop", the remaining subjects gathered together to support and participate.
By the time of their arrest, the group had completed five iron pipes with pig-slaughtering knives attached, a highly lethal weapon. Regarding the two iron-ball guns, M. said he "found them" and kept them for… self-defense.