4 tobacco smugglers caught in killing of market watchdog officer

Nguyen Kim Danh, 46, a member of the provincial market watchdog, was allegedly struck to death by a group of tobacco smugglers when he tried to stop them at the dawn on September 16.

Danh was dispatched to the scene on September 16 , when his unit detected a group of tobacco smugglers on a stretch of Cung Canal, located in Binh Hoa Nam village in Duc Hue District.

The four-member market watchdog team was divided into two groups, with two officers covering on land while Danh and another officer named Bon ambushed in the canal on a motorboat.

Danh’s wife and his two children mourn at his funeral in Long An Province, located in southern Vietnam.

At around 10:00 pm on September 15, Danh and Bon noticed a motorboat travelling at high speed on the canal and quickly asked the driver to stop.

After checking the motorboat, the officers found and seized approximately 9,000 illegal cigarette packages. The motorboat driver, however, was able to escape.

While transporting the seized goods to their headquarters, the team was chased by a group of ten motorboats, with some 20 smugglers on board, who reportedly sought to recover the confiscated cigarettes.

The officers accelerated the boat, but one smuggler caught up with them and attacked the team with a stick.

Danh was struck in the head and fell into the river.

Bon quickly jumped into the river and managed to bring Danh onto the bank.

However, Danh was pronounced dead shortly after at around 00:30 am on September 16.

Upon receiving the call from the market management officers, local police were quickly dispatched to the area and eventually caught four smugglers in the afternoon of September 16.

Officers are currently investigating the suspects to identify the rest of the smuggling gang.

A courageous hero

Various official agencies have attended the funeral of Danh and paid tribute to his death. Danh’s father was also a hero, who died while serving the country during the American war in Vietnam.

Danh had been working as a market management officer since 1997. He held many positions and was assigned to the market management agency in Long An in January 2016.

Danh was adamant in fighting against the smugglers and was given many awards for his great contributions.

He died leaving behind his 80-year-old mother, his wife and two young children of grade 7 and 3.

The provincial government and other local agencies are giving their best help to the family of the deceased hero.