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Mar 26, 2019 / 06:34

Vietnam arrests 8 Chinese in biggest transnational drug trafficking case

The ring allegedly transports drug from “Golden Triangle” – one of the world’s drug hubs – through Laos, to Vietnam, then to a third country for consumption.

Vietnamese police have arrested eight Chinese for involving in a transnational drug trafficking ring, seizing more than one ton of methamphetamine. 
 
Police seize methamphetamine trafficked by the ring in Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Nien
Police seize methamphetamine trafficked by the ring in Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Nien
The arrestees include ring leader named Wu Heshan, 57, who runs the ring trafficking more than a ton of methamphetamine in a network among Laos, Vietnam, and the Philippines. 

The ring allegedly smuggled drugs from “Golden Triangle” – one of the world’s drug hubs – an intersection among the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, through Laos, to Vietnam, then to a third country for consumption. 

Back to October 2018, Vietnam’s police captured a Laotian trafficking 300 kg of methamphetamine in the central province of Quang Binh. Since then, they have kept an eye on the case. 

On February 17, 2019, police arrested another Laotian man named Vang Cheyang Briachear in the central province of Ha Tinh which borders with Laos, seizing 278 kg of methamphetamine. 

On March 19, police detained Wu Heshan and several Chinese accomplices in Ho Chi Minh City, taking 300 kg of methamphetamine. 

On March 20, police captured more than 10 drug traffickers, seizing 300 kg of methamphetamine at a garment factory in Ho Chi Minh City. The company was set up by Wu Heshan as a cover for drug trafficking, according to the Tuoi Tre newspaper.  

On March 24, Vietnamese police in cooperation with Filipino cops confiscated 276 kg of methamphetamine in the Philippines. 

 
Golden Triangle. Photo: Nowthisworld
Golden Triangle. Photo: Nowthisworld
So far, the police have captured 16 involvers, including eight Chinese.

Vietnam has some of the world’s toughest drug laws. Trafficking more than 100 grams of heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine is punishable by death.