Vietnamese authorities seize 57 kg cannabis trafficked from abroad

The People's Court of Nghe An province on Feb 15 sentenced six people to death for their involvement in trafficking more than 44.6 kg drugs. - VNA/VNS

HANOI (Xinhua): Local authorities in southern Vietnam's An Giang have arrested a local man and seized 57 kg cannabis from abroad, local media reported on Thursday (Feb 16).

The border guard and police forces of the province discovered two men transporting cannabis in the border area with Cambodia in Tinh Bien district during a night patrol on Feb 12, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Both ran away and one of them was caught by the officers. The one arrested is a 43-year-old resident from Tinh Bien district. He admitted that he was hired to transport the drugs from Cambodia to Vietnam for 700,000 Vietnamese dong (US$30).

He carried a package of 34.4 kg cannabis and the other suspect, who escaped from the scene, carried the 22.6 kg package, the news agency reported, adding that the authorities are further investigating the case.

In a separate case, the People's Court of Nghe An province on Wednesday issued the death penalty to six people and life sentence for another one for their involvement in trafficking of more than 44.6 kg drugs, Vietnam News Agency reported.

According to the Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg methamphetamine are punishable by death.