Police in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau brought 185 drug addicts back to a drug rehab and vocational centre as of 11am on April 14 after a large group of 447 escaped from the centre the previous night.

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The group, who entered the centre in compulsory programmes, reportedly assaulted several officers of the centre, knocked down walls and gates and fled.

Earlier they staged a fight. When a group of officers reached the scene to end the violence, they were assaulted by dozens of inmates.

At that time, there were only 20 guards at the centre, so they could not impede the attack of the runaways.

The centre is housing around 600 addicts.

On the morning of April 14, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Quoc Tuan requested local police and military forces to block roads to find and bring back the remaining runaways.

Meanwhile, local people were warned to be on high alert for any suspicious looking people or activity.

VNA