A notorious bandit leader has been apprehended by Saigon's special forces.

Having once led a gang of "aristocratic" robbers who used high-powered motorcycles and AK rifles to commit crimes, causing terror among the people of Saigon, after being released from prison, bandit leader Do Hong Le returned to his old ways.

On October 14th, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Nhat Thanh, Head of the Criminal Police Team of District 1 Police (Ho Chi Minh City), announced that they had temporarily detained Do Hong Le (40 years old) and Nguyen Hoai Phong (27 years old, both residing in District 7) for investigation into the crime of robbery.

Do Hong Le. Photo: Police

Earlier, on the afternoon of October 12th, Le drove Phong around various streets in District 1 looking for a target. When they reached the intersection of Nguyen Thai Hoc and Pham Ngu Lao streets, they spotted Ms. Hoang stopped at a red light with her handbag tucked into the luggage rack of her motorbike.

Le turned the car around and pulled over to the side of the road, starting the engine and waiting. Phong approached his "prey," suddenly lunging forward to snatch the handbag before jumping onto his accomplice's motorbike and speeding away. After a moment of shock, Ms. Hoang shouted for help.

Upon discovering the incident, the special task force of District 1 Police, who were on patrol, immediately accelerated and pursued the suspects. At the intersection of Tran Hung Dao and Nguyen Van Cu streets, the officers knocked the motorbike over and apprehended the two robbers. The stolen goods were returned to the victim.

At the police station, Le did not admit to participating in the robbery with his accomplices, claiming that Phong committed the crime alone. However, Phong's testimony, along with that of the victim, indicates that Le actively participated in the robbery.

According to police records, Do Hong Le was once a notorious bandit in Saigon. In early 1992, before turning 20, Le recruited dozens of wealthy young men to form the "Noble" robbery gang. The gang's methods were extremely violent, often using expensive high-powered motorcycles and AK rifles to commit crimes.

In just the first two months of 1992, police investigations revealed that the gang led by Le had successfully carried out dozens of high-speed robberies on the streets, including a bank robbery. After their arrest, gang leader Do Hong Le and his accomplices were prosecuted for a series of crimes including murder, robbery, and illegal possession of military weapons. Le himself was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Having been released from prison early, Le continued to commit crimes. Recently, the former notorious robber was detained by the Ho Chi Minh City Police's special task force during a crime crackdown at the end of 2012.

According to VnExpress - TH