Vietnam seizes heroin worth $2.5M in China border drug bust

HANOI, Vietnam – Vietnamese police have seized 100 kilograms of heroin worth $2.5 million in one of the country's largest drug busts.

Two men were arrested on Friday in northern province of Cao Bang bordering China as they were allegedly attempting to smuggle the heroin packed in their vehicle into China, the state-run Thanh Nien newspaper reported Monday.

Their arrests led to the detention on Friday and Saturday of three other members of the ring, which smuggled heroin from Laos for resale in China.

Photos in state media showed alleged 31-year-old ring leader Tran Van Bang standing with a large pile of heroin bricks.

Vietnam has some of the world's toughest drug laws, with trafficking 100 grams of heroin punishable by death.