On 30/12, Quang Tri Provincial Police handed over Nguyen Thi Be, formerly residing in Xuan Tien commune, Xuan Truong district, Nam Dinh province, to Ninh Binh Provincial Police for investigation.

Nguyen Thi Be arrested after 25 years evading arrest. Photo: Cong an Quang Tri

Be's fugitive status began in 2001 when Nam Dinh Provincial Police issued a warrant for her arrest for illegal drug trafficking. Four years later, in 2005, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigation Agency sought her in connection with a murder.

To avoid capture, Be fled to Laos, where she adopted a new identity as Ho Thi Huong Lien, claiming to be 53 years old and residing in Nong Don village, Kaysone Phomvihane city, Savannakhet province. She severed all contact with her family and relatives.

While living in Laos, she cultivated a persona as a businesswoman and underwent plastic surgery on her face to alter her appearance. She also chose to live in remote areas, away from population centers, further complicating efforts to identify her.

Savannakhet Provincial Police (Laos) handed over Nguyen Thi Be to Vietnamese Police. Photo: Cong an tinh Quang Tri

Quang Tri Provincial Police located a woman matching some details of Be, but initial identification was inconclusive due to her altered appearance. After further verification in December, Quang Tri Provincial Police collaborated with Savannakhet Provincial Police to confirm that Ho Thi Huong Lien was indeed Nguyen Thi Be. She was subsequently arrested in Laos and extradited to Vietnam.