"Network Gangster" Duc Cong Arrested for Allegedly Organizing Drug Use

Ninh Binh Provincial Police announced on September 18 that they had made an emergency arrest of Nguyen Minh Duc, also known as "Duc Cong," 45, on suspicion of organizing drug use. Duc has a history of eight prior convictions and one administrative violation for offenses including disturbing public order, property theft, assault, and obstructing public officials. According to the police, Duc previously led a local gangster group, which has since been dismantled. Recently, he had been active on Facebook accounts "Ga Rung" and "Duc Cong Nam Dinh," and TikTok account "Duc Cong Nam Dinh," amassing over 115,000 followers and cultivating an image as a "network gangster." Authorities believe the content posted on these accounts frequently referred to Duc's past criminal history and included attention-grabbing statements, thereby building his "network gangster" persona. This image-building was reportedly aimed at stimulating curiosity, increasing likes, views, and interactions to sell products, and generating income from social media activities. The Ninh Binh Provincial Police assess that Duc's content negatively impacts the perceptions of some viewers, particularly the youth, by portraying individuals with criminal pasts as figures of influence, posing a potential risk to security and order. In addition to his online activities, Duc has been identified as having connections with individuals involved in drug-related activities in the area. Police arrested Duc on September 16, seizing drug paraphernalia and related evidence. Source: VnExpress