国际英语新闻:Vietnam detects transnational marijuana smuggling ring

HO CHI MINH CITY, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Customs Department of Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City said Sunday that they have spotted a ring which transported marijuana from the United States to Vietnam via the city-based Tan Son Nhat international airport.

Local forces have detained four people aged 19, 42, 49 and 51 from Ho Chi Minh City and central Binh Dinh province, who were to receive over 5.2 kilograms of marijuana hidden in many products and sent from California and Philadelphia.

Since the beginning of this year, customs officers at the international airport detected a total of 42 batches of products which contained nearly 57 kilograms of marijuana sent from the United States.

According to Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty.