Proceedings commence for major drug smuggling case
The Department of Public Security has begun formal criminal proceedings of a major drug smuggling incident which occurred on November 16, 2013 at HCM City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
On November 17, the Taiwan Criminal Investigation Bureau confiscated 600 heroin packages weighing 229 kilograms, smuggled from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport on a China Airlines flight from Penang (Malaysia).
The four aviation security officers at Tan Son Nhat airport were suspended under the ongoing investigation, for failing to detect the 600 heroin packages, according to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. The heroin, which has an estimated street value of about US$300 million, was hidden in 12 stereo speakers, each of which contained 50 heroin blocks coated with chocolate to distract police dogs.
The sender of the shipment, Le Hoa Trading and Forwarding Co., Ltd whose headquarters is registered in District 1 HCM City, is thought to have signed a contract with KL logistics to ship the heroin from HCM City to Taiwan.
A further eight suspects were arrested by Taiwanese police officers.
Officers have been gathering information on the case since November when Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, chairman of the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution and Control, ordered the investigation.