Police in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang have swooped on an illicit ring producing over 120 kilograms of a plant-based stimulant.

Officers in Ngu Hanh Son District led by Colonel Ngo Dinh Thu, deputy chief of the local police bureau, busted the unlawful organization, which specialized in making a stimulant nicknamed ‘co My,’ translated as ‘American weed.’

After several inspections in the locality, officers detected a group of strangers living in some tenanted houses showing suspicious signs, according to Col. Thu.

Police then realized that the group was headed by Ho Si Dien, with the assistance of Nguyen Van Hoang Duy and Nguyen Van Quang, after nearly a month tracking the suspects.

Initial investigation showed that the raw weed was transported to Da Nang from different provinces in northern Vietnam by train.

The illegal material was then brought to one of the suspects’ house on My An 23 Street to undergo processing procedures before being distributed and consumed.

Once understanding the regular operating schedule of the ring, police raided their rented homes, catching the offenders red-handed.

Exhibits confiscated at the scene included 120 kilograms of weed, along with five kilograms of chemicals, 12 bottles of flavoring materials, and 20 bottles of alcohol used for weed processing, with total value estimated at VND4 billion (US$179,440), Col. Thu said.

The suspects claimed at the police station that the products would be distributed to wholesalers in Ho Chi Minh City and several other cities and provinces by passenger bus.     

Authorities in Ngu Hanh Son District on Friday afternoon congratulated local police officers on uncovering the major case and awarded them VND10 million ($448.6) for their excellent performance.

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