15 arrested as HCMC police seize 100 kg of drugs

By Quoc Thang October 26, 2020 | 11:15 pm PT

Heroin, methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs are seized in HCMC, October 27, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Van Vu.

HCMC police and officers from the Ministry of Public Security have arrested 15 members of a drug trafficking ring following a massive crackdown.

The arrests on Friday came after over 100 police officers simultaneously raided dozens of places in HCMC's Districts 1, Binh Thanh and Thu Duc and neighboring provinces of Binh Duong and Tay Ninh, seizing over 100 kg of synthetic drugs and more than 10 kg of heroin, a top police officer told VnExpress.

The drugs were smuggled in from Cambodia. Police are expanding their investigation.

HCMC has been a transit hub for drugs trafficked from the Golden Triangle, police have reported. From here, the drugs are taken to Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea and even Europe, Australia and Latin America.

Vietnam has some of the world’s toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 g of heroin or over 2.5 kg of methamphetamine face death.