Vietnamese police arrest man for organizing drug party

Nguyen Duy Khuong faces possible charges of "organizing the illegal use of narcotics," a crime punishable by up to life in prison in Vietnam.

When police raided a karaoke parlor in Hai Ha District in the northern province of Quang Ninh, home to the world famous Ha Long Bay, last Thursday they allegedly discovered nine men and a woman high on drugs.

They found a plastic bag containing synthetic drugs abandoned on the floor.

The 10 allegedly confessed they were having a "drug party" to celebrate Khuong’s birthday.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Khuong had bought 10 synthetic drug pills for VND7 million ($302) for people to use at the party. The police said he was the organizer.

They said they would slap fines on the remaining people for the use of illegal drugs.

Police raids to bust drug use at restaurants and other hangouts have been carried more frequently in recent times across the country.

Last month 13 people were caught having a ‘drug party’ in the central province of Ha Tinh, around 500 kilometers from Quang Ninh. Among the people caught were a banker, a forest ranger, a teacher, and an accountant at a local kindergarten.

While heroin has long been common in Vietnam, the use of synthetic drugs like meth and ecstasy is on the rise, especially among partying youth.

Each year around 1,600 people die of drug overdose in Vietnam. Around $93.7 million is spent on buying drugs and $44.6 million on running rehab facilities.