On August 8, Da Nang City Police announced they had dismantled the largest synthetic marijuana trafficking ring ever discovered in the city, seizing more than 500 grams of yellow powder (suspected to be drugs) and over 100 kilograms of sprayed synthetic marijuana.

According to the Department of Drug Crime Investigation, five suspects were arrested in connection with the operation.

On August 6, officers caught Phan Thai Phien (born 1974, residing in Thanh Khe Ward) in the act of illegally trading synthetic marijuana on Nguyen Tri Phuong Street. Authorities confiscated about 10 kilograms of the substance, a motorbike, and over VND 10.5 million (approximately USD 415) in cash. A subsequent search of his residence uncovered an additional 2 kilograms of synthetic marijuana and one digital scale.

Expanding the investigation later that day, police apprehended Nguyen Thi Thuy (born 1991, residing in Hoa Cuong Ward) on Tran Cao Van Street for the same offense. She was found with approximately 1 kilogram of synthetic marijuana, a motorbike, and a mobile phone. Officers searching her home found four more packages of the drug and related items.

Based on confessions from Phien and Thuy, police urgently arrested Tran Thi Thanh Tuyen (born 1989, originally from Hue, temporarily residing in Lien Chieu and Hoa Khanh Wards) and Ngo Van Hoang Phuc (born 1985, also from Hue), seizing two plastic bags containing around 300 grams of yellowish powder (suspected to be narcotics), along with other related evidence.

The investigation then led to the arrest of Le Thanh Ka Ka (born 1999, residing in Hoa Xuan Ward), from whom authorities confiscated over 20 kilograms of synthetic marijuana.

Preliminary totals from the case include approximately 500 grams of suspected narcotics in powder form, more than 100 kilograms of sprayed synthetic marijuana, five mobile phones, three motorbikes, one car, two scales, hundreds of millions of dong (several thousand USD), and various related items.

The case remains under active investigation.

PV