SƠN LA – Police in the northern province of Sơn La’s Lóng Luôn Commune have arrested two major drug lords.

Nguyễn Thanh Tuân, 35, and Nguyễn Văn Thuận, 34, were shot dead during a two-day stand-off with police, which involved 300 officers.

Tuân was a wanted for illegal drug trading and illegal possession of military weapons, while Thuận was wanted for illegal drug trading.

The two had been wanted by the investigation agencies of the ministry and Quảng Ninh and Sơn La Provincial Police. They were considered particularly dangerous criminals of the ring that trafficked drug from Laos via Việt Nam to a third country.

Colonel Trần Anh Tuấn, director of Sơn La Police, said that the pair had holed up at a house in Lóng Luông Commune with high walls, tunnels and bunkers equipped with guns and grenades.

They had also recruited local residents as bodyguards, he said.

During the raid on Wednesday, the two refused to give themselves up, and opened fire on police.

The shootout continued on and the two remaining bodyguards were killed.

When police entered the house, they found the two drug lords and three bodies holding shotguns. They also seized more than 50 firearms, including AK 47s, hunting rifles, pistols, grenades and nearly 8,000 bullets.

A new day

Nguyễn Duy Lương, deputy secretary of Vân Hồ District’s Party Committee, said that the arrests would restore a peaceful environment to the area.

Sồng A Tồng, a resident of Tà Dê Village in Lóng Luông Commune, said that some people had been followed and threatened by strange men.

Vice chairman of Lóng Luông Commune’s People’s Committee, Giàng A Cở, said he and local people in Tà Dê and Lũng Xá appreciated the efforts made by the police to eradicate the gang.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has sent a letter of merit to the Ministry of Public Security and police in Sơn La Province for their brave in the fight against extremely dangerous drug traffickers.

Lóng Luông Commune in Sơn La Province is thought to be home to more than 50 wanted criminals, mostly members of drug cartels. – VNS