The People’s Court of the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh on May 20 began the preliminary hearing of 26 defendants who allegedly trafficked 1,784 cakes of heroin (weighing over 628 kg) and 1,400 synthetic drug pills.

The drug criminal investigation agency of the Ministry of Public Security commenced criminal proceedings against 30 defendants, including four who are on the run, for illegally purchasing and selling drugs, along with opposing law enforcement officers and hiding military weapons.

According to the indictment, on May 18, 2011, local police surprised Trang A Chu, born in 1977 in northern Son La province, trafficking 50 cakes of heroin weighing over 17.6 kg and 400 synthetic drug pills.

Three other alleged traffickers have been named as Nguyen Van Hoa, Tran Thi Luu Thuy and Nguyen Ngoc Thai.

The hearing is scheduled to last until May 30.-VNA