Spanish model Andrea Aybar detained in HCMC on drug-related charges

Following a raid at an apartment in Thu Duc City, Aybar and others, on Saturday, were taken into custody on suspicions of drug use and organizing drug activities. A rapid test confirmed that the 29-year-old model tested positive for banned substances.

In a separate case, police in HCMC's Tan Binh District also detained singer Chi Dan and others on similar suspicions, with drug tests returning positive results.

Spanish model Andrea Aybar. Photo by Instagram/@andreaaybar

Andrea Aybar has lived in Vietnam since childhood and is fluent in English, Vietnamese, and Spanish. She gained fame in Vietnam's modeling scene from 2012 to 2014 and appeared in films such as "HIT: Hoang Tu Va Lo Lem" (HIT: The Prince and Cinderella) and "De Mai Tinh 2" (Let Hoi Decide). However, she has been largely absent from the entertainment industry in recent years.

Chi Dan, a 34-year-old singer from Kien Giang Province, is known for his pop ballad songs.

Vietnam enforces some of the world's strictest drug laws, imposing the death penalty for trafficking or transporting 100 grams or more of heroin or cocaine, or 300 grams or more of methamphetamine. Individuals caught with smaller amounts, such as with cannabis or ecstasy, face harsh penalties including lengthy prison sentences and compulsory rehabilitation programs.