Police in the northern province of Son La’s Long Luon Commune have arrested two major drug lords.

The weapons found at Nguyen Thanh Tuan’s house when police arrested him and another drug dealer in Son La Province.

Nguyen Thanh Tuan, 35, and Nguyen Văn Thuan, 34, were shot dead during a two-day stand-off with police, which involved 300 officers.

Tuan was a wanted for illegal drug trading and illegal possession of military weapons, while Thuan was wanted for illegal drug trading.

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

Colonel Tran  Anh Tuan, director of Sơn La Police, said that the pair had holed up at a house in Long Luong 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

Nguyen Duy Luong, deputy secretary of Van Ho District’s Party Committee, said that the arrests would restore a peaceful environment to the area.

Song A Tong, a resident of Ta De Village in Long Luong Commune, said that some people had been followed and threatened by strange men.

Vice chairman of Long Luong Commune’s People’s Committee, Giang A Cở, said he and local people in Ta De and Lung Xa appreciated the efforts made by the police to eradicate the gang.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has sent a letter of merit to the Ministry of Public Security and police in Son La Province for their brave in the fight against extremely dangerous drug traffickers.

Long Luong Commune in Son La Province is thought to be home to more than 50 wanted criminals, mostly members of drug cartels. – VNS