Several arrested after major Vietnam heroin, marijuana busts

HANOI: Vietnam police seized two large caches of heroin and marijuana in separate drug busts over the weekend, with several people arrested on suspicion of smuggling the narcotics in from neighbouring Laos, official reports said on Monday.

Communist Vietnam has some of the world´s toughest drug laws, but it shares a porous border with Laos and illegal goods from drugs to wildlife products are often smuggled through.

Police confiscated 112 kilograms of heroin in the northern Phu Tho province late Saturday and arrested four people after discovering the drugs in large plastic water jugs.

"The heroin must have originated from Laos. Further investigation on the case will be carried out," said a report on the province´s official website.

Suspect Vang A Cang, 42, told police the heroin was his and said he hired the three other men as drivers and guards for a combined fee of roughly $17,500.

In a separate case, police in central Ha Tinh province arrested two Laotian men on Saturday for smuggling 60 kilos of marijuana into Vietnam, according to the official police newspaper. Police seized the marijuana.

Vietnam hands out heavy punishments for drug-related offences. Anyone found guilty of possessing more than 600 grams of heroin, or more than 20 kilos of opium, can face the death penalty.