How was the major drug case on the 4th day of Tet busted?

Accordingly, at 9:30 a.m. on January 25 (the 4th day of the Lunar New Year, Quy Mao), in Pieng Cooc village, Mai Son commune, Tuong Duong district, the joint forces of the Drug and Crime Prevention and Control Department; Nhon Mai Border Guard Station; Nam Can International Border Guard Station and Muong Ai Border Guard Station (Nghe An Border Guard) discovered and arrested 2 subjects: Xong Tong Xo (born in 1991) and Xong Teng (born in 2002), both residing in Pha Deng village, Muong Quan district, Hua Phan province (Laos) who were transporting 12 kg of opium resin and 12,000 pink synthetic drug pills, 2 sharp knives and some other related evidence into the Vietnam border.

Evidence of 12 kg of opium resin. Photo: Anh Bach

According to initial statements, the subjects confessed that they took advantage of the Lunar New Year 2023 of Vietnam to find loopholes in the authorities, brought the above amount of drugs from Laos to Vietnam to sell for profit, and were discovered and arrested when they arrived at the above location. It is known that the above 2 subjects are brothers in a family and are one of the important links in the transnational drug trafficking ring that Nghe An Border Guard established Project 1222 to fight and eradicate.

Having just returned from the success of a major project, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Xuan Hung - Head of the Department of Drug and Crime Prevention said that to achieve this success, before and during the recent Tet holiday, many scouts of the Nghe An Border Guard had to lie in wait in the border forests to monitor, many officers stayed up all night to grasp the rules of the subjects' activities.

Taking statements from the subjects. Photo: Anh Bach

Before the Lunar New Year of Quy Mao, Nghe An Border Guard scouts received information that a large drug ring run by brothers in a family was trying to smuggle goods from across the border into Vietnam for consumption, through Mai Son commune, Tuong Duong district.

Upon receiving the information, the Drug and Crime Prevention Department sent experienced detectives to coordinate with the Nhon Mai, Muong Ai Border Guard Stations and Nam Can International Border Gate to monitor.

Using professional measures, the detectives got involved and fully grasped the information, origin, route as well as the subjects in the transnational drug trafficking ring. Accordingly, Xong Tong Xo (born in 1992), the older brother, will be the one to purchase drugs and contact the consumption points. The younger brother Xong Teng (born in 2002), plays a supporting role. Both are from Pha Deng village, Muong Quan district, Hua Phan province (Laos).

Two subjects Xong Tong Xo and Xong Teng. Photo: Anh Bach

Based on the analysis of the situation, Nghe An Border Guard force has proactively prepared plans to be ready to catch them when they carry out activities of bringing drugs into Vietnam for consumption.

Before Tet, the Vietnamese partner asked to buy goods to serve the Tet holiday, but because the functional forces on the Vietnamese side implemented strict border protection measures, Xong Tong Xo remained inactive.

After that, Xong Tong Xo made an appointment with a partner and together with his younger brother transported a huge amount of goods across the border into Vietnam for consumption, under the guise of brothers visiting Vietnam to celebrate Tet.

Xong Tong Xo bought the drugs in the area where he lived for about 3 million Lao kip/kg and 3 million kip/package of opium. The two brothers hid the above goods in 2 backpacks, 1 black travel backpack and 1 military backpack.

To keep the appointment, on the night of the 3rd day of Lunar New Year, January 25, 2023, Xong Tong Xo and his younger brother carried 2 backpacks from Pha Deng village and walked through the forest towards the Vietnam border to deliver the goods.

However, the transaction did not go through as the two subjects were arrested by the Nghe An Border Guard with 12 kg of opium resin, 12,000 synthetic drug pills, 2 sharp knives and some other related evidence.

The subjects and evidence of the case. Photo: Anh Bach

Colonel Duong Hong Hai - Deputy Commander of Nghe An Border Guard said: "To successfully fight this major drug case, the forces participating in the case have implemented the correct professional measures and instructions of the Command, the units participating in the case coordinated smoothly, especially the scouts did not take Tet holiday to grasp and monitor the activities of the subjects, so it was successful according to plan, ensuring absolute safety for the forces on duty, contributing to preventing cross-border drug trafficking and transportation activities".

This is considered an outstanding achievement of the officers and soldiers of the Nghe An Border Guard during the Lunar New Year of Quy Mao, contributing to "preventing the white death" from entering Nghe An.

Currently, the Nghe An Border Guard has completed the case file and handed it over to the competent authorities for handling according to the provisions of law./.