According to the Drug Crime Investigation Police Division of the Da Nang City Police, authorities recently discovered several social media pages and online groups openly advertising cannabis for sale. These included accounts and communities under names such as WeedDaNang, WEEDCATSHOP, Blck, Rec420, Red Eyes Club, 420 Farmer, RedCat and BlackCat.

The individuals operated across platforms including Telegram, WhatsApp, and Facebook, attracting hundreds of participants.

Investigators identified the operation as a new and increasingly complex form of drug trafficking conducted through cyberspace, posing potential risks to public security and social order in the city. Authorities subsequently launched a specialised investigation to dismantle the network.

On March 14, task forces simultaneously carried out operations and caught six suspects involved in illegal drug trading.

Initial investigation results identified Nguyen Hoai Nam (born in 2000, from Dak Lak province) and his wife Nguyen Thi Vong (born in 1997, from Gia Lai province) as the alleged leaders of the network. Other suspects include those aged 23 – 37 from Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Da Nang.

Investigators said the group attempted to conceal their activities by operating a clothing sales page on Facebook and frequently livestreaming to promote apparel products. However, large quantities of second-hand clothing were imported mainly to hide packages of cannabis inside before shipping them to customers.

Most transactions were arranged through private groups on Telegram with hundreds of members. Group administrators used QR codes to connect with buyers, avoided publishing phone numbers and used the cryptocurrency Tether (USDT) as a payment method to evade detection by authorities.

During searches, police seized approximately 20 kg of dried plant material suspected to be cannabis, along with numerous documents and items related to illegal drug trading activities.

Earlier, in January 2026, while investigating the same case, the Da Nang police arrested four Russian nationals for illegal drug trading. Investigators determined that the suspects had repeatedly purchased drugs from Nam and Vong before reselling them for profit and had created websites advertising drugs openly to foreigners living and working in the city.

The Da Nang City Police Investigation Agency is continuing to expand the investigation and will handle the suspects in accordance with Vietnamese law.

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