65-year-old Vietnamese ‘drug queen’ arrested after years on the run as international fugitive

November 28, 2022

Vũ Hoàng Oanh, a drug lord considered one of Vietnam’s biggest “drug queens,” was arrested after evading capture in a series of busts for over four years.

Also known as Oanh Hà, the 65-year-old woman ran a transnational drug trafficking ring that moved hundreds of kilograms of heroin, methamphetamine and ecstasy into Vietnam. She is the sister of Dung Hà, a notorious female crime boss who was assassinated in 2000 by Năm Cam, another high-profile criminal whom Dung previously worked with.

On Nov. 22, the Ministry of Public Security announced that Oanh, also wanted by Interpol, was arrested abroad on Sept. 23 in an operation that lasted more than five weeks and involved more than 100 police officers and soldiers. During the raid, 131 kilograms (approximately 289 pounds) of drugs were seized. Twenty-eight other people were arrested between September and October.

Her crime ring was first busted in May 2018, which led to the arrest of seven people and the seizure of 39 packs of heroin, 30 kilograms of methamphetamine and 100,000 ecstasy pills. However, Oanh managed to escape and flee the country.

Despite being an international fugitive, Oanh was able to recruit young criminals to keep her transnational ring alive from the Golden Triangle area to Vietnam’s busiest cities, including Ho Chi Minh City and the northern city of Hai Phong, according to authorities.

The drug traffickers would hide drugs inside car engines and send them to Ho Chi Minh City. They were then transported to Pham The Anh, director of the Sky House Import, Export and Trading company, to be sent into Hai Phong.

Anh was also among those arrested. Police seized two cars and 2 kg of drugs in the arrest.

Featured Image via PhoBolsaTV

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