Police detain suspect Phạm Anh Tài, also known as “Tài đen,” during the arrest operation. — Photo courtesy of the Criminal Police Department

HCM CITY — Vietnamese police have arrested two suspects accused of robbing about VNĐ1.8 billion (US$69,230) from a Vietcombank branch in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai after a weeks-long nationwide manhunt, seizing four firearms, the Ministry of Public Security said on Friday.

The suspects were identified as Phạm Anh Tài, 36, also known as “Tài đen,” and Lê Văn Ân, 33.

Authorities said the two men, long-time acquaintances with prior criminal records, allegedly planned and carried out the January 19 robbery at the Trà Bá transaction office. One of the suspects had been wanted since 2018 on a murder charge, police added.

Bank robberies in Việt Nam are relatively rare and are often solved quickly, sometimes within 24 hours, making the weeks-long manhunt in this case unusual and drawing significant public attention.

According to investigators, the pair prepared vehicles and surveyed the area before entering the bank branch on Trường Chinh Street in Hội Phú Ward wearing helmets and clothing resembling those used by ride-hailing drivers.

Armed with guns, they threatened staff and fled on a motorbike after taking the cash, authorities said.

After the robbery, the suspects allegedly split up and moved across several localities, attempting to erase traces to evade capture.

One was arrested in a former Kon Tum provincial area and the other in Kon Tum city, police said, adding that officers have recovered most of the stolen money.

Bundles of cash allegedly linked to the robbery were seized by police as evidence in the case. — Photo courtesy of the Criminal Police Department

The investigation involved multiple units under the Ministry of Public Security in coordination with police from Gia Lai, Quảng Ngãi, HCM City, and other provinces.

The ministry said four guns and additional evidence were confiscated during the arrests. Authorities have not disclosed the type of firearms.

General Lương Tam Quang, minister of the Public Security, praised the coordinated operation, citing the suspects’ “sophisticated tactics” and limited identifying information as challenges during the manhunt.

The robbery occurred when two masked men entered the bank branch on the afternoon of January 19, brandished firearms and escaped on a Yamaha Exciter motorbike.

Investigators earlier discovered a vehicle believed to have been used in the crime buried in a pine forest about 5 km from the scene, prompting a public appeal for information and a reward for tips.

Police said the case remains under investigation and further legal proceedings are underway. — VNS