15 members of cross-border drug cartel arrested, huge haul of drugs, weapons seized

ĐIỆN BIÊN — In a major drug bust, Vietnamese and Laotian authorities have arrested 15 members of a cross-border cartel, seizing 38 bricks of heroin, 3kg of methamphetamines, a firearm, ammunition and AK magazine speed loader, and LAK180 million (US$10,696). The operation, which resulted from a five-month investigation, was carried out with the cooperation of police departments in Điện Biên, Lai Châu, Lào Cai and Phongsaly and Oudomxay. The Ministry of Public Security also praised the Điện Biên Police Department, the Narcotics Investigation Police Department, the Professional Technique Department, and the Representative Office of the Ministry of Public Security in Laos for their great success in fighting drug criminals. Despite the challenges, authorities dismantled the cartel within 75 hours of the operation. Drug traffickers admitted trading more than 412 bricks of heroin, 28kg of opium and 3kg of methamphetamine since August 2022, according to the police.