Transnational drug lord disguised as car wash owner in Nghe An

Thanh Chuong District Police and the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department of Nghe An Province have just dismantled a transnational drug ring, arrested two suspects, and seized 5kg of crystal meth.

In early 2020, through investigation, detectives of Thanh Chuong District Police discovered a drug trafficking ring with large quantities transported from Laos to Thanh Chuong District (Nghe An) and then brought to the southern provinces for consumption. Under the direction of the provincial police leaders, a special project was established to combat.

During the investigation, the Task Force identified the ringleader as Nguyen Van Duan (born in 1980), residing in Hanh Lam Commune, Thanh Chuong District, Nghe An. It is worth noting that this is an especially dangerous subject, being on the national wanted list of Nghe An Police in mid-2019.

Kingpin Nguyen Van Duan. Photo: Quynh Trang

The wanted ringleader

Creating a cover as a simple working class person, Duẩn and his wife and children opened a small car wash in a poor rural area to conceal their criminal activities. According to police documents, Duẩn was the "ringleader", opening up illegal drug trafficking routes and often attracting other subjects in the area to join the network.

In mid-2019, Thanh Chuong District Police busted an illegal drug trafficking ring, seizing 3kg of crystal meth. All the suspects were arrested, while the ringleader Nguyen Van Duan quickly escaped from the area.

After hiding in the southern provinces, in 2020, he continued to collude with subjects to establish a new illegal drug trafficking line transported from Laos through Nghe An and then brought to the South for consumption.

One of the important links in this new chain is Nguyen Van Hao (born in 1977), residing in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City. Having no stable job and living alone, he was assigned to receive goods from Laotian subjects and transport them to Ho Chi Minh City to deliver to Duan.

Subject Nguyen Van Hao. Photo: Quynh Trang

Starting on April 10, he rented a 5-seat self-driving car from Ho Chi Minh City and followed the trail to Thanh Chuong District (Nghe An) to make a transaction. For more than 10 long days, he continuously changed the route and accommodation to erase his traces. But all the movements and activities of the network were under the surveillance of Nghe An police detectives.

Lift the net

With the coordination of Thanh Thuy Nghe An Border Guard Station, after a period of monitoring and ambush, the Special Task Force including Thanh Chuong District Police and the Drug Crime Investigation Department of Nghe An Police decided to solve the case.

Meticulous and tight plans and strategies were drawn up, dozens of scouts were deployed in many "sting" groups at key points: trails in Thanh Chuong district, National Highway 1A in Vinh city and Hoc Mon district in Ho Chi Minh city. The task force agreed on the point of view: "strike quickly, strike simultaneously", determined to capture all subjects in the network.

On the morning of April 22, according to the information of the detective, the vehicle with license plate 51F-343.01 driven by Nguyen Van Hao changed its route. Instead of going south from Thanh Chuong district via the trail, he took a detour through National Highway 7 and then down National Highway 1A to Vinh City. At 7:00 a.m. the same day, at the Ticket Control Station at Ben Thuy 1 Bridge (Vinh City), the working group surrounded and arrested Hao and took him to the headquarters. Confiscated at the scene were 5kg of crystal meth, 1 car, and 1 mobile phone.

5kg of crystal meth. Photo: Quynh Trang

At the same time, a working group of Nghe An Police in coordination with the Southern Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (Ministry of Public Security) also actively monitored the movements of Nguyen Van Duan while he was hiding in Hoc Mon District (Ho Chi Minh City). After more than a day of perseverance, the working group arrested the subject while he was hiding at his younger brother's house and transferred him to the Nghe An Police Investigation Agency.

At the investigation agency, after many days of struggle, the subjects had to bow their heads and admit their guilt. The case is currently under further investigation.