HANOI : An international drug smuggling ring, thought to be responsible for importing 62 kilogrammes of illegal narcotics into Vietnam, has been busted by police.

Four people have been arrested following an operation by the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department in Hanoi.

Suspected ringleader Hoag Tien Dung, 27, ran a pure water shop, restaurant and transportation service in Hung Yen Province's Yen My District.

Police alleged these businesses were just a front for his drug enterprise, which also involved his wife, Le Thi Huyen, 25.

He is accused of arranging for drugs to be sent from Europe through international postal systems hidden among food and household items.

According to police, Tran Van Tuan, 19, from Yen My District's Yen Hoa Commune, was a key accomplice of Dung. He had been assigned the tasks of receiving shipments, guarding the drug warehouse and packaging drugs for consumption.

Dao Ngoc Long, 35 years old, in Yen Hoa Commune, was an intermediary, connecting Dung with foreign individuals to arrange drug purchases.

On March 23 and April 24, Hanoi Police coordinated with the Hanoi Customs Department to discover a package sent from the Netherlands and another package sent from the Czech Republic through Noi Bai International Airport.

Police arrested Huyen in Hung Long Commune, Van Giang District on May 4 and seized nearly 20kg of various types of drugs hidden in beer cans and coffee makers.

Three days later, the task force collaborated with police in Phu Tho Province and HCM City to arrest Dung, Tuan, and Long and seized more than 42kg of different types of drugs hidden in bubble tea and coffee bags.

During the search of Huyen's late-night restaurant, police seized 0.13 grams of synthetic drugs.

 - ANN