The most read Vietnamese newspaper
Edition: International | Vietnamese
© Copyright 1997 VnExpress.net. All rights reserved.
A man was forcibly removed from a domestic flight after he told a flight attendant that he had opium in his luggage.
The incident happened aboard a flight that landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in southern commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City Thursday evening after flying from Cat Bi Airport in the northern port city Hai Phong.
When the passenger was asked to put his baggage in the overhead cabinet, he refused to do so, joking “there is opium in my bag”.
The flight attendant immediately alerted the captain who then decided to notify security forces at Cat Bi Airport for further investigation.
The man refused to get up when security officers approached him on board. He said he was just joking, claiming what he actually said was "if somebody else's suitacase above my head contained opium, I'd be held responsible."
Fellow passengers, however, confirmed with the airport security that they had heard the man saying he was carrying opium.
It took the airport security 40 minutes to finally remove the man from the plane.
The flight carrying 200 passengers landed in Ho Chi Minh City 50 minutes later than scheduled.
Vietnamese law prohibits production, storage, transport, distribution and use of opium, an ingredient of illicit drugs like heroin. The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics in Vietnam is punishable by death.
Related News:
> Vietnamese-Australian woman caught with 11 lbs of heroin at Vietnam airport
> 73-year-old woman faces death penalty for drug smuggling
> Laser beams continue to threaten Vietnam’s aviation safety
