Fishing boat found illegally carrying cyanide, electric guns in Ho Chi Minh City

Earlier, at around 9:00 am on June 29, the station's task force inspected a fishing vessel owned by Nguyen Van Thang, 51, a resident of Con Dao, during a routine patrol in Ben Dam Bay.

The inspection revealed a range of fishing equipment suspected to be used for illegal seafood harvesting.

Seized items included three plastic bottles containing a dark liquid suspected to be toxic, two 100m-long coils of plastic tubing and electrical wire taped together, and five electric guns wrapped in black tape.

The station then sent samples of the suspected liquid to the Forensic Science Institute in Ho Chi Minh City for testing.

On August 4, forensic results confirmed the substance in the three bottles was cyanide, a Group 6.1 toxic chemical listed under the Vietnamese government's hazardous chemical regulations.

According to authorities, Thang's actions meet the criteria for the criminal charge of 'illegal possession of toxic substances' under Article 311 of Vietnam's Penal Code.

Based on the test results and initial investigation, the Con Dao Border Guard Station convened a meeting with the relevant police and procuracy agencies to reach a consensus on how to tackle the case.

The case has since been handed over to the Con Dao special zone police unit for further investigation and legal action.