A drug trafficking ring run by a mentally ill patient was busted at Hà Nội-based National Psychiatric Hospital No1 early this year. Photo vietnamplus.vn

HÀ NỘI — The director of a hospital that was found to be the headquarters of a drug trafficking ring run by a patient has been sacked.

Vương Văn Tịnh, Director of National Psychiatric Hospital No 1 based in Hà Nội’s Thường Tín District, was dismissed due to improper management and responsibility that led to the drug trafficking ring operating from the hospital.

The incident was first reported on March 31 and is under further investigation.

Nguyễn Xuân Quý, 38, who resides in Hà Nội’s Thanh Trì District, is accused of starting the ring when he was receiving treatment at the hospital’s Department of Functional Rehabilitation and Traditional Medicine.

He was sent to the hospital for treatment in November 2018.

From then, he repeatedly left the hospital during treatment. In January this year, Quý was arrested by the police of Hai Bà Trưng District on charges of illegally possessing drugs but was returned to the hospital due to his mental illness.

The police investigation found that after a long time at the hospital, he formed close relationships with a number of hospital staff and was free to come and go as he pleased.

Quý allegedly renovated a treatment room into a soundproof room and installed large speakers and laser lights to use as a place to take and sell drugs.

As well as Quý and his friends, some hospital staff were also reportedly offered drugs in the room.

He is thought to have sold drugs at the hospital by telling his customers to pretend to be caregivers.

To avoid being detected, Quý hired two men - Nguyễn Trung Nguyễn and Nguyễn Công Thường - to disguise themselves as delivery drivers and stand at the hospital gate as lookouts. They also delivered drugs to customers.

On March 20, the Police Department for Investigation of Drug-related Crimes raided the hospital room, arresting Quý and five accomplices, including the two lookouts.

The police seized more than 6kg of drugs of various kinds, including ecstasy, methamphetamine and ketamine.

The investigation agency also arrested Nguyễn Anh Vũ, a technician from the rehabilitation and traditional medicine department at the hospital, to investigate him for not denouncing the crime. Vũ was found to be positive for drugs after a quick test.

As soon as the incident was reported, the Ministry of Health suspended the hospital director and set up a discipline council to identify and deliver punishment to involved people.

The health ministry on Wednesday also disciplined the hospital’s vice directors - Nguyễn Tuấn Đạt, Lê Ngọc Tú and Nguyễn Mạnh Phát, by warning and reprimanding them in front of the hospital staff. — VNS