LAI CHÂU – Police in the northern Lai Châu Province’s Tân Uyên District have arrested two persons for illegally transporting 39 cakes of heroin.

The suspects were identified on Tuesday as Hạng A Lau, 52, from Mộc Châu District’s Chiềng Hắc Commune in Sơn La Province and Sồng Thị Dí from Lóong Sập Commune.

In early January, the local police received information that a person from the ethnic H’Mông community often transported drugs to Mộc Châu District for consumption in Lào Cai Province.

On February 24, following a tip-off, around 2pm, the police stopped a motorbike on National Highway 32. The two men on the bike flung their backpack containing 39 cakes of heroin on the pavement and tried to escape by shooting at the police.

As the police gave chase, the duo ran and took cover in a ravine, but within an hour Dí was arrested. After over two hours of persuasion, Lau surrendered and was disarmed and arrested. One policeman was injured during the chase.

The police also seized a K59 pistol and seven bullets during the case.

At the police station, the suspects confessed that a Laos national had asked them to transport the heroin to Lào Cai Province for a payment of VNĐ150 million (US$6,600), which would be made after delivery.

This is the largest drug case that has been busted by the local police, and further investigations are underway. The investigation team has received an award for the breakthrough.

In a separate incident, police officials from the northern province of Điện Biên on Tuesday arrested a suspect for possession of 22,000 synthetic drugs in the form of tablets. The suspect, Vàng A Thông, 28, was a resident of Điện Biên District’s Hẹ Muông Commune.

At 1pm, the local police stopped a motorbike heading to the district centre. Thông tried to speed away, but was caught later. He allegedly admitted that he had bought the drugs near the border and was planning to sell it locally. Investigations are on. – VNS