Massive drug trafficking network from Golden Triangle to Vietnam busted
VOV.VN - Authorities have dismantled a major international drug trafficking ring, which was transporting drugs from the Golden Triangle region into Vietnam.
The operation was carried out by the Drug Crime Investigation Department under the Ministry of Public Security in coordination with the Department of Drug Prevention and Criminal Investigation under the Border Guard Force.
In early July 2025, law enforcement identified two suspicious individuals, Tran Quoc Huy (25) and Duong Cao Huy (26), both residing in Hanoi. During the investigation, authorities uncovered a large drug trafficking operation led by Tran Duc Thanh (42, Nghe An province) and Chu Anh Tuan (43, Phu Tho province), who were directly connected to the two suspects.
The network used highly sophisticated methods for transporting drugs. Operatives made no contact at all, but instead transactions were carried out via encrypted messaging apps such as Telegram and Signal, using false names and images to avoid detection.
The drugs were hidden in remote locations, and coordinates along with images of the stash sites were sent to the recipients. To avoid detection, the network operated with an independent but tightly controlled structure, where each participant only knew their specific task and had no knowledge of the other members in the ring.
The investigation revealed that the mastermind behind the operation was Tran Van Quyet (40, Ho Chi Minh City), who was already wanted by the Ho Chi Minh City Police for drug trafficking. Quyet had formed connections with several international criminals to establish large-scale drug smuggling routes from the Golden Triangle region into Vietnam.
In late September 2025, authorities dismantled the trafficking network, arresting 13 individuals and seizing a total of 777 kilograms of synthetic drugs. This included a major shipment in August and September, during which over 500 kilograms of drugs were distributed across various provinces, including southern regions of Vietnam.
The investigation is ongoing, with efforts to track down other members of the network. Tran Van Quyet remains at large, hiding in the Golden Triangle region.
Border guards bust large drug trafficking case from Laos into Vietnam
VOV.VN - The Quang Tri Provincial Border Guard on October 5 dismantled a major transnational drug trafficking ring, arresting two Lao nationals and seizing 500 kilograms of synthetic drugs.
