HCM CITY — A drug dealer of a cocaine ring, who underwent plastic surgery for six years to escape the police, has been arrested.

Đỗ Thành Nam, 30, is believed to be the main suspect in a huge drug smuggling case, which has been investigated by Quảng Ninh police since 2012, online newspaper zing.vn reported.

This is the largest ring in the history of drug crimes, led by a woman named Nguyễn Bích Ngọc.

So far, the investigation agency has prosecuted 147 defendants and seized 112 cakes of heroin, 115,000 synthetic drugs and more than VNĐ20 billion (US$888,900).

Upon investigation, police identified Ngọc and her ring members transporting more than 32,000 cakes of heroin, 500,000 tablets of synthetic drugs and 40kg of crystal methaphetamine.

Ngọc and other members of the ring were arrested, but Nam managed to flee. Police in Quảng Ninh province has been on his trail since the end of 2012.

During his hiding, Nam headed an organisation to transport drugs from the northern province of Sơn La to Hà Nội and then to Cao Bằng Province.

In September 2017, Hà Nội police busted this organisation. They arrested three members and seized 15 cakes of heroin, a gun and a grenade.

Nam, however, managed to escape again, so there was a second special arrest warrant for drug trafficking issued against him.

To avoid being apprehended by the police, Nam changed his name. He took on different names and forged personal identification documents. He even underwent numerous plastic surgeries to avoid arrest.

According to police, Nam was arrested while hiding in a hostel in HCM City.

In the past six years, he had cut off all contact with the outside world. Food, or any other information, was exchanged through his girlfriend’s driver, a police official said.

Police are further investigating the case. — VNS