Police in Hoa Binh Province have shot an aggressive drug trafficker who opened fire on police officers who were trying to chase him. The criminal died before he could be hospitalized and police seized a large quantity of drugs and weapons.

At 10:30 am on Sunday, an anti-drug police unit in Cao Phong District signaled for a suspicious Toyota car on National Highway 6 to stop for examination, but the driver sped away. A chase ensued and the driver fired his guns to scare away other police units as well as locals who were trying to stop his car. When he entered Yen Phuc Commune, Lac Son District, he rushed out of the car with an AK assault rifle and then set the vehicle on fire. He ran to a house, threatened its owner with the gun, robbed a motorbike and drove off. But he wasn’t able to travel far as the vehicle ran out of petrol soon after. He then stole another bike and rode it into a forested hill area. Police surrounded the area and called on the smuggler to surrender through a loudspeaker, but he responded by firing a series of rounds towards them. A firefight occurred and the criminal was injured and seized.

Police check the cakes of heroin found in the car of the drug trafficker (Photo: VnExpress)

The police took him to a local hospital but he died on the way. On searching the car, police found and seized 100 cakes of heroin weighing about 35 kg, 800 synthetic drug tablets, two grenades, 120 bullets, and five guns, including an AK assault rifle, two K59 guns, a Colt gun, and an American gun. Police also seized 10 mobile phones, three laptops, US$20,000, VND150 million, a fake car number plate, and numerous fake personal papers. After an initial investigation, police identified the dead criminal as Ta Van Hung, 47, a native of Bac Giang Province, who was previously convicted of robbery two years ago. Police are working to track down the origin of the drugs and the weapons.