The actions of Andrea Aybar Carmona (31, Spanish national) and her assistant, Van Anh Duy, are detailed in the indictment recently completed by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Procuracy. They are charged with organizing the illegal use of narcotics and illegally possessing narcotics.

The two defendants, along with 225 others in the case, were discovered by Ho Chi Minh City Police during the expansion of Special Project VN10. This project investigated an entire drug trafficking ring transporting narcotics illegally from France to Vietnam, involving four flight attendants.

Andrea Aybar Carmona has lived in Vietnam since childhood and is fluent in English, Vietnamese, and Spanish. From 2012 to 2014, she was a promising face in the northern modeling scene and appeared in films such as "Hit: Hoang tu va Lo Lem" and "De mai tinh 2". She had not been active in the arts for several years before her legal troubles.

Model Andrea Aybar upon arrest. Photo: Police provided

The indictment states that An Tay hired Duy as an assistant with a salary of 10 million dong per month, tasking him with transportation and assisting in filming videos for social media platforms. During this time, An Tay repeatedly paid Duy to purchase narcotics for her use.

On 9/11, when Ho Chi Minh City Police conducted an administrative inspection of apartment 22.04, Topaz 01 building, Saigon Pearl condominium (in Ho Chi Minh City), An Tay was caught red-handed with her assistant Duy and a group of friends organizing a drug party. This was the second consecutive session the group had organized.

During a search of her residence, authorities found that An Tay also possessed a quantity of narcotics from previous unused purchases. Regarding the tools for using crystal meth, An Tay stated that she had asked Duy to order and conceal them at her residence for personal use.

During questioning by investigators, An Tay (real name Andrea Aybar Carmona) admitted to starting narcotic use in 2020. To obtain narcotics for solo use at home, she frequently contacted Nguyen Phuoc Bao Loc (42), an acquaintance through social connections, purchasing them for 500,000 dong to one million dong per transaction.

An Tay made payments by transferring money from her personal account to Duy's account, who then transferred it to Loc. After receiving payment, Loc would send the narcotics via delivery application or have Duy directly pick them up and bring them to An Tay. Duy was also allowed by An Tay to use narcotics with her, most recently on 8/11/2024.

Toothpaste tubes containing narcotics carried by flight attendants to Vietnam. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Customs

Following the case of four flight attendants carrying narcotics from France to Vietnam in 3/2023, Ho Chi Minh City Police dismantled the largest transnational drug ring in history. For the upcoming trial, investigative agencies identified Ha Danh Nam (currently a fugitive, living abroad) and Hoang Sy Thang as the ringleaders. The flight attendants were exploited to transport more than 11 kg of narcotics hidden in toothpaste tubes, unaware of the illicit substances inside.

Authorities proved that narcotic transactions amounted to nearly 29,000 ty dong. They severed nearly 500 branches and sub-branches of the criminal network operating in 34 provinces and cities, uncovering the covers of kingpins and seizing nearly 600 kg of narcotics, 12 firearms, 67 rounds of ammunition, and three grenades.

In addition to An Tay, during the expanded investigation into the network's tentacles, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Drug Crime Investigation Department (PC04) also arrested Nguyen Trung Hieu (singer Chi Dan) and his brother Nguyen Trung Tin, 45, for organizing the illegal use of narcotics.

Testimony revealed that on the morning of 4/11/2024, Chi Dan messaged his friend Hoa Thi Hong (33) to invite her to drink at his house in District 4. They were later invited to a house on Cong Hoa street. There, the singer and his brother joined a group of seven people to use narcotics. One person in the group ordered Ketamine and three ecstasy pills via Telegram. Nguyen Trung Tin prepared the narcotics on a glass plate, crushed them with a bank card, and arranged them into lines for the group to use.

The "party" continued when Chi Dan invited everyone to use more "nuoc vui" (a recreational drug). Tin ordered two packages for 7,1 million dong, asking his brother to transfer the money. Upon receiving the delivery from a ride-hailing driver, Chi Dan mixed it into a soft drink and consumed it first, with the others following. Around 9h, the group purchased an additional half-box of Ketamine for 2,5 million dong. As one person had to leave for work, Chi Dan used only a portion, and Tin took the remainder and discarded it on the street.

Quoc Thang