The Bac Ninh Provincial Police's Security Investigation Agency has indicted 16 suspects for illegally manufacturing, possessing, using, and trading military weapons.

According to the police, by the time of their arrest, the ring had successfully shipped over 1,300 orders, totaling approximately 1,800 kg of lead bullets, to buyers in 34/34 provinces and cities. This operation generated nearly 700 million dong in illicit profits.

Police inspect a lead bullet production site. *Photo: Police provided*

Police identified Nguyen The Huynh, 27, residing in Phuong Lan 2 village, Luc Nam commune, as having purchased machinery, equipment, and raw lead materials via social media to manufacture lead bullets at his home starting in 7/2025. To expand bullet production capabilities, Huynh contacted Tran Van Nam, 37, residing in Long Kham village, Lien Bao commune, to purchase a manual pressing machine.

Nam also operated a workshop for manufacturing, possessing, and trading lead bullets, similar to Huynh.

To sell his products, Huynh used a social media account named "shop cau ca co oi" (fishing shop) under the guise of "fishing weights". When an order was placed, Huynh would package and dispatch it via delivery services.

According to the police, Huynh and the other arrested individuals were part of an organized, inter-provincial ring illegally manufacturing, producing, and trading lead bullets for pcp guns (classified as military weapons). The ring exploited cyberspace to carry out criminal acts using sophisticated, closed-loop methods.

The suspects leveraged social media platforms, especially TikTok and Zalo, to advertise and find customers. They then used unregistered SIM cards for communication and postal services for deliveries. The group also regularly changed locations for storing raw materials and finished products, disguising lead bullets as fishing weights to evade authorities.

Manufactured lead bullets seized. *Photo: Police provided*

During an urgent search of Huynh's residence, police seized 252 kg of raw lead, 55,6 kg of lead bullets, along with tools for manufacturing and trading lead bullets, including hydraulic presses, manual metal pressing machines, and electronic scales.

In searches at other locations, authorities collectively seized 55,628 various lead bullets, 532,8 kg of raw lead, 10 pcp guns, three large pressing machines for bullet production, 1,7 kg of firecrackers, and numerous related items, components, and documents.