On September 7, the Drug Crime Investigation Department of the Ministry of Public Security (C04) announced the seizure of a fishing vessel carrying a staggering 1.16 tons of ketamine in waters near the Vietnam-Indonesia border. This operation was carried out in collaboration with the Vietnam Coast Guard, Border Guard, and Customs officials.

The fishing vessel, identified as BT-92066-TS, was found to be concealing 58 bags of the illegal substance hidden within the walls on both sides of the ship. The ketamine, disguised as tea bags, was valued at approximately 800 billion VND (around 34 million USD) in the illegal drug market.

The operation, known as Case 126MT, was initiated on May 25, leading to the arrest of four crew members. Among them, Tran Ngoc Danh was identified as the coordinator of the drug trafficking operation. Authorities apprehended Danh and Nguyen Van Niem while they were attempting to flee to another country.

Following the vessel's seizure, it was reported that Danh attempted to bribe officials with 1.2 billion VND in an effort to release the ship and recover the hidden ketamine. Authorities successfully confiscated this amount, which was intended for bribery.

As of now, C04 has charged four individuals with illegal drug trafficking, four others with bribery, and one with both bribery and drug trafficking offenses. This incident marks one of the largest drug seizures in maritime operations in Vietnam.

In addition to this case, C04 has also led a significant operation, known as Case 291T, resulting in the arrest of 740 suspects and the confiscation of over 103 kg of synthetic drugs across eight provinces. The crackdown has seen an increase in the number of drug-related offenses, particularly among workers and some public figures in the entertainment industry.

Since the beginning of 2023, law enforcement has dismantled over 17,600 drug-related cases, arresting more than 35,300 individuals and seizing nearly 100 kg of heroin, 30 kg of cocaine, 407 kg of cannabis, and significant quantities of other drugs, including the recent 1.16 tons of ketamine.