The network, led by accused ringleader Hoang Sy Thang, moved nearly VND29 trillion (US$1.1 billion) worth of drugs through close to 500 branches and sub-branches spanning across Vietnam, according to the indictment.
Authorities seized nearly 600 kg of narcotics, 12 firearms, 67 rounds of ammunition, and three grenades over the course of the investigation.
The case originated on March 16, 2023, when customs officers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport found drugs hidden in toothpaste tubes in the checked luggage of four female flight attendants who had just arrived on flight VN10 from Paris. The attendants told investigators a contact in France had paid them a small fee to carry what they believed were personal goods. They were cleared of wrongdoing after authorities found no evidence they knew the packages contained drugs.
Investigators traced the shipments to Thang in Dong Nai Province, who allegedly coordinated distribution to buyers in neighboring Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong Province.
The expanded probe eventually uncovered one of the largest drug networks in Vietnamese criminal history.
Among the defendants are singer Chi Dan, whose real name is Nguyen Trung Hieu, and his brother Nguyen Trung Tin, 44, both charged with organizing illegal drug use.
Spanish-national model An Tay, whose real name is Andrea Aybar Carmona, faces charges of organizing illegal drug use and illegal drug possession.
Nguyen Do Truc Phuong, a social media personality known as the “charity fairy” for her philanthropic work, is also charged with organizing illegal drug use.
Police said the celebrities were among users who bought drugs from suppliers within the network. Their arrests in November 2024 drew intense public attention in Vietnam.
The 227 defendants face a range of charges including illegal transportation and trade of narcotics, organizing illegal drug use, illegal drug possession, harboring criminals, failure to report crimes, illegal seizure of property, and use of forged documents. Four fugitives among them will be tried in absentia.
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Procuracy described the case as an exceptionally serious organized crime operation, citing the suspects’ use of tightly coordinated roles, encrypted online platforms, and electronic transactions to run cross-border drug logistics.
The broader investigation has led to over 2,000 arrests nationwide. On Jan. 13, prosecutors returned the case file for supplementary investigation to clarify each defendant’s role.
HCMC police completed their final investigation conclusions two months later, recommending prosecution of all 227.
The case file has been transferred to the HCMC People’s Court for trial.
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