Major Drug Trafficking Case Uncovered in Hanoi
A significant drug trafficking case has come to light in Hanoi, where a local man and his five gang members were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for adulterating tobacco and e-cigarettes with drugs before selling them. The court’s decision highlights the severity of the crime and the impact it could have on public health.
Le Anh Tho, 30, was given a total of 32 years in prison for his role in the illegal trade of narcotics and smuggling. However, under Vietnamese law, the maximum sentence for such crimes is capped at 30 years. His co-defendant, Phung Bao Ngoc, 30, received a 28-year sentence. Both were found guilty of establishing two processing labs and recruiting four henchmen to inject over 2.7 kg of drugs and drug-infused oil into tens of thousands of herbal cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
The other four individuals involved in the operation also faced serious charges. Do Duy Lung, 31, and Hoang Van Quy, 32, each received 18 years in prison. Le Anh Duc, 31, was sentenced to 16 years, while Phung Quoc Viet, 24, got 15 years. These sentences reflect the gravity of their involvement in the illegal trade of narcotics.
The Operation: From Smuggling to Drug-Infused Products
According to the indictment, Tho and Ngoc initially engaged in smuggling disposable e-cigarettes from China to Vietnam. In August 2022, they used social media to facilitate this operation, purchasing 100,000 sticks for over VND500 million (approximately US$19,120). However, the products did not meet the expectations of Vietnamese consumers, leading to poor sales.
Recognizing an opportunity, Tho identified a growing demand for stimulant-laced cigarettes and decided to alter the product. He purchased drug-infused oil and 1.1 kg of drug powder from China, along with equipment and materials. He then mixed the substances and sprayed them onto tobacco to create herbal cigarettes branded as Dominix and Amsterdam. For e-cigarettes, he combined the drug-infused oil with flavored oil and injected it into the shells, creating products called Ampire Chill.
Roles and Responsibilities Within the Gang
Quy was responsible for using a machine to load fibers into the tobacco that Tho had purchased, producing the Dominix and Amsterdam brands. Lung, Duc, and Viet handled the packaging and awaited Tho’s instructions to ship the products to customers. Despite their claims that they could not recall the exact number of products made, they admitted to selling out all available stock.
In March 2023, Tho purchased another 60 liters of oil and three liters of drug-infused oil from China, along with e-cigarette shells, paying in Bitcoin. This move demonstrated the gang’s increasing sophistication and use of digital currencies to evade detection.
Arrest and Seizure of Illegal Drugs
The gang was arrested in September 2024 while manufacturing 7,500 drug-laced e-cigarettes at a warehouse in Hanoi. They had already produced over 3,000 units and were preparing to ship them. Police seized nearly 800 grams of MDMB-4en-PINACA, a synthetic drug commonly dissolved into solutions or infused into cigarettes, pipe tobacco, or dried herbs for consumption.
This drug has gained popularity in various social settings, including restaurants, bars, karaoke parlors, and birthday parties, according to Hanoi police. Prosecutors emphasized that the case represented an especially serious transnational drug-trafficking operation involving new types of drugs and directly targeting young users.
Between May 2023 and their arrest in September of the same year, the gang trafficked nearly 2.7 kg of MDMB-4en-PINACA and smuggled in 100,000 e-cigarettes valued at VND9 billion. A key figure in the smuggling operation, known only as Dat, remains at large, with the police issuing a warrant and continuing their search for him.
