A suspect and exhibits seized by the police in HCM City. — Photos cand.vn

HCM CITY — HCM City’s Police Department has dismantled an inter-provincial drug trafficking ring led by Trần Huy Long, arresting 151 people and seizing 176.2kg of cannabis and 178 e-cigarettes containing cannabis oil.

The investigation was expanded after police inspected Aplus Saigon bar at 492 Võ Văn Kiệt Street in the early hours of October 7 and found six people testing positive for drugs.

Tracing the supply chain, investigators uncovered a cannabis trafficking network operating in the city and several provinces in the southwestern region.

The investigation found that the suspects transported, stored and concealed drugs in the Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp and Vĩnh Long before bringing them to the city for distribution.

They used anonymous accounts and closed online groups to conduct transactions, concealed drugs in parcels and exploited express delivery services to transport them across multiple locations in an attempt to evade detection.

The suspects at a police station in HCM City.

The department’s Drug Crime Investigation Police Office, working with specialist units and local police, deployed investigative measures and analysed electronic data to identify the various links in the network.

On Monday, the police arrested 151 people. Of these, 81 were subject to criminal proceedings, while the remaining 70 faced administrative penalties and were placed under professional supervision.

The police are continuing to expand the investigation, trace drug suppliers and clarify the roles of other people involved for further action in accordance with the law.

A suspect and exhibits seized by the police in HCM City.

The police have commended collectives and individuals for their outstanding contributions to the operation.

The crackdown is expected to strengthen efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and support the city's goal of becoming drug-free by 2030, in line with a resolution adopted by the municipal Party Committee. — VNS