24th October, 2016
More than 500 addicts have escaped from a drug rehabilitation centre in southern Vietnam, an official said on Monday.
Huynh Van Tinh, director of Dong Nai province’s social affairs department, said the addicts broke through the gates of the centre in Dong Nai province on Sunday before heading towards the trans-Vietnam highway.
“As of 11 am local time (0400GMT), we have rounded up 334 out of 562, and are hunting for the rest,’’ Tinh said, adding that the centre holds 1,481 addicts.
Tinh said a group of people who had recently been sent to the centre incited others to escape and threatened to beat others if they did not help break down the gate.
He added that some escapees reportedly used sticks and machetes to rob bystanders.
According to Tinh, mass escapes from drug rehabilitation centre have occurred before in Vietnam, where drug addicts, if caught, must serve a mandatory two-year sentence at state-run facilities.
Report says there are an estimated 180,000 drug addicts in Vietnam, most of whom abuse heroin or methamphetamine.