Two men from Laos have been arrested for smuggling 69 packs of heroin into Vietnam, both claiming that they were working for a Vietnamese man.

Two Laotians have been caught red handed transporting drugs in Muong Lat District, in the north-central Vietnamese province of Thanh Hoa, provincial border guards said on Sunday.

According to the case file, officers from the local anti-drug unit discovered two suspicious men traveling on motorbikes on Saturday night, and signaled them to pull over.

They attempted to run away but were soon caught by the officers.

Following an inspection of the suspects’ vehicles and baggage, the border guards found and confiscated a total of 69 packs of heroin, along with LAK153,000 (US$18.8) and other evidence.

The pair claimed that they were Lu Tho, 41, and Vang Tua Tho, 32, both residents of the Lao province of Huaphanh.

They claimed to have been engaged by a Vietnamese man to transport the packages on Friday last week, and were promised payments of VND40 million ($1,766), according to the statements.

This is the largest haul intercepted by Thanh Hoa border guards in recent years.

The case is still under investigation.

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