Spanish model Andrea Aybar sobs after drug arrest: 'I've destroyed my career'

Aybar, 29, was detained on Nov. 9 in HCMC's Thu Duc District over suspicions of drug-related violations.

She was officially put under probe on Thursday for storing illegal drugs and facilitating drug use at an apartment.

Model Andrea Aybar in a fashion photoshoot. Photo by Ngoisao.net

"Over the last few days I've been thinking a lot, and I realized my mistake for violating the law and using drugs. I've destroyed my career, my life and my future," she told the police in Vietnamese, in tearful voice.

"I don't think I would have another chance to begin again."

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).

She has been largely absent from the entertainment industry in recent years.

A still of a video footage showing Spanish model Andrea Aybar at a police station in HCMC. Photo by VnExpress

In addition to Aybar, two other public figures, singer Nguyen Trung Hieu, 35, known by his stage name Chi Dan, and social media influencer Truc Phuong, have also been arrested and are under investigation for allegedly facilitating drug use.

"I want to say sorry to my fans and the people who love me," Hieu said in a statement. He also warned others against trying drugs, saying "It can destroy your entire life and severely impact everyone around you."

The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation by HCMC police into a drug trafficking operation that has been active since March 2023, trafficking narcotics through airports from France to Vietnam.

The operation has resulted in the dismantling of over 500 drug rings, the arrest of 1,132 suspects and the seizure of 323.5 kilograms of drugs. Authorities estimate the total value of the drug trade at over VND28 trillion ($1.1 billion).