His career spanned from former Ha Son Binh and Ha Tay provincial police to Hanoi city police, and now the drug crime investigation police department. Along the way, he and his coworkers have faced countless breathless moments, standing on the edge of life and death.

One unforgettable memory for Nguyen Van Vien, 60, was a case that occured 17 years ago, after Ha Tay merged with Hanoi. At the time, he was Deputy Head of Hanoi Police’s Drug Crime Investigation Division and Deputy Chief of the Investigation Agency.

His unit then worked with the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department to bust a case targeting Dang Huy Thanh, a highly dangerous drug trafficker. Learning Thanh was preparing to move a large shipment from Son La to Hanoi for export to a third country, the task force quickly planned an interception.

As Thanh’s vehicle traveled on National Highway 6 to Xuan Mai (Chuong My, Hanoi), reconnaissance teams surrounded it. Nguyen Van Vien (then Deputy Head) personally drove a vehicle to block Thanh’s escape route.

Thanh refused to surrender, barricading himself in the vehicle with a grenade. After a quick discussion, the task force ordered officers to spread out for safety, asked traffic police to divert vehicles, and warned civilians to stay away from the suspect’s vehicle.

Despite professional measures, Thanh remained defiant. Authorities had to shoot out all four vehicle tires. Still, Thanh recklessly drove a short distance before abandoning the heavily damaged vehicle.

Using darkness and complex terrain, Thanh fled with the grenade into a residential area, then deep into a forest. On the scene, 22 bricks of heroin and weapons were seized. Later, Dang Huy Thanh was caught in China and executed.

The head of the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department vividly recalled the operation to catch Hang A Nha, a highly dangerous drug lord. Remarkably, this tense operation ended without a single shot.

It was in 2004, when Nguyen Van Vien was Deputy Head and Deputy Chief of the Investigation Agency of Ha Tay Provincial Police. He and his team faced life-or-death moments while pursuing Hang A Nha in Pa Co Village, Hoa Binh Province, a notorious drug hub in the Northwest.

To ensure the arrest’s success, a detailed plan was crafted, emphasizing lightning-fast action to give the suspect no chance to react.

The operation was swift, catching the drug lord off guard. But at dawn, villagers woke up, noticed strangers, and grew suspicious. They gathered, forming a tense encirclement around the task force.

The operation’s commander made a bold move, directly to contact Hang A Nha’s younger brother, who was then the commune’s Deputy Party Secretary and a respected figure.

After being informed, the brother quickly arrived. With his credibility and family ties, he explained the police’s mission, convincing villagers to cooperate.

Vien said only the sincere words of a trusted local - the suspect’s brother could defuse the tension. Villagers gradually understood and complied, dissolving the encirclement.

Thanks to this smart decision and unique cooperation, the task force arrested the suspect without firing a shot, ensuring safety for civilians and officers.

Reflecting on sacrifices like those of Nguyen Dang Khai (Quang Ninh Police), Nguyen Van Vien says they symbolize courage and the spirit of serving the nation and people.

Reminding people about the sacrifices of his comrades, including Nguyen Dang Khai of the QuangNinh Police, Vien said they symbolize courage and the spirit of serving the nation and people.

He notes that for 28 years, the Drug Crime Investigation Police have upheld four oaths of honor. Blood, sweat, and tears have been shed for peace. Twenty-nine officers, soldiers, and civilians have heroically died. Many were young, leaving behind families, dreams, and unfinished goals.

Brave hearts

Nguyen Van Vien stressed that drugs are a national threat, destroying health, heritage, and families. The fight against drug trafficking remains tough and fierce.

“We need brave hearts, the people who dive in without calculating personal gain, putting the nation’s peace above individual concerns,” he said.

In 2024, the nationwide police handled 29,928 cases, arrested 51,938 suspects, and seized 60 kg of opium, 680 kg of heroin, nearly 2.3 tons of cannabis, 3.3 tons and 3.3 million synthetic drug tablets.

The Drug Crime Investigation Police Department alone, with other units busted 81 cases with 315 suspects, seizing over 190 kg of heroin, 860 kg and nearly 630,000 synthetic drug tablets, 10 kg of fresh opium poppies, and 560 kg of cannabis.

Dinh Hieu - Huy Ha