Authorities seize nearly 500 blocks of heroin: Minister of Public Security sends letter of commendation.

Minister Tran Dai Quang sent a letter of commendation to units under C47 and several other units for dismantling a drug trafficking ring that concealed drugs inside gas cylinders.

On July 26th, the General Department of Police, Ministry of Public Security, announced that its leadership is directing the Drug Crime Investigation Department (C47) to continue expanding the investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking case involving the purchase and transportation of narcotics from Van Ho district, Son La province to Hanoi, Lang Son, and onward to China for consumption. This case involves the largest quantity of narcotics ever seized, concealed and transported through industrial gas cylinders.

The suspect Nguyen Quoc Hung and the seized evidence at the police station.

This is a major case directly led by Major General Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of Department C47. The task force has identified the ringleader as Nguyen Quoc Hung (32 years old, from Hung Ha district, Thai Binh province). Hung is involved in many transnational criminal networks and currently owns a restaurant and karaoke bar in Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi.

After a period of surveillance, at the end of July 2015, the special task force arrested six suspects while they were exchanging goods in the area near Phu Dong Bridge in Co Bi commune, Gia Lam district, Hanoi.

The suspects include: Nguyen Quoc Hung, Nguyen Hoang Quan (28 years old, residing in Binh Thuy District, Can Tho City), Nghiem Quoc Dung (30 years old, residing in Ngoc Ha Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi), Nguyen Van Tuyen (44 years old, originally from Khoai Chau District, Hung Yen), Dam Viet Thang (48 years old) and Loc Minh Duc (37 years old, both residing in Van Lang, Lang Son). The six suspects were arrested while in the process of receiving the goods.

Upon inspecting the truck belonging to the suspect Tuyen, the special task force seized a reinforced blue-painted industrial gas cylinder containing 170 blocks of heroin disguised among various household items such as a gas stove, cooking pots, and styrofoam containers.

Suspects Nguyen Quoc Hung (left) and Nghiem Cong Dung (right) at the police station.

The investigating agency conducted an emergency search of the three-story house rented by Nguyen Quoc Hung. They seized two pink-painted industrial gas cylinders, also secured using the same method as above; the first cylinder contained 153 blocks of heroin; the second contained 167 blocks of heroin; two K59 pistols; one K59 magazine; and one AR15 magazine. The total amount of narcotics seized was 490 blocks of heroin.

Regarding this achievement, General Tran Dai Quang, Member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Public Security, sent a letter of commendation to units under C47; several units under the General Department of Security; the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department of Hoa Binh province and Hanoi city; the Anti-Drug Department of the Coast Guard Command; and several units under the Ministry of National Defense.

According to VNA