Two dozen charged in Midwest Vietnamese gambling and drug ring

[darkhelmet]

(Reuters) - Twenty-four people were charged Thursday with federal drug trafficking and gambling offenses in a ring that stretched from the Pacific Northwest to Minnesota, Milwaukee and northern Illinois.

Following a year-long investigation, the defendants, all of Hmong descent, were charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, and 13 were accused with operating an illegal gambling business, said U.S. Attorney James Santelle.

Hundreds of pounds of marijuana were transported by couriers from Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle to Minnesota, southeast Wisconsin and northern Illinois, Santelle said. The couriers also transported bulk cash and illegal gambling proceeds back to the marijuana suppliers in the Pacific Northwest, he said.

Odds on sporting events were sent via text message, and bets were placed just as quickly, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Sanders, who is prosecuting the case.

More than $800,000 in cash was seized from residences, business and safe deposit boxes in southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, bringing total cash seized to about $1.3 million, Santelle said. About 25 pounds of marijuana was seized along with drug trafficking and gambling ledgers, firearms, a bullet-proof vest, jewelry, and vehicles.

All but one of the defendants is in custody. U.S. Marshals are looking for Vinh V. Trinh, 44, of Los Angeles.

The Hmong are an ethnic group originating out of southeast Asia. Many Hmong immigrants live in California, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

(Writing and reporting by John Rondy; Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Greg McCune)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/us-hmong-ring-wisconsin-idUSTRE7515RR20110602

[blablablablabla]

Vinh V. Trinh sure is not Hmong........  

Hmong organized crime at this point in time IS NOT making 6 figures and definitely NOT making millions by any means.    

[VimKuvlosqeeb]

The writer of this piece is pretty ignorant about his understandings of race.  I'll bet it's the Vietnamese and Chinese that spear headed this trafficking.   It's always the little guy that gets the blame!

[JustMe2]

always the little guy who isn't so bright gets caught!

[kyang81]

Epic Fail! 

http://mountpleasant.patch.com/articles/drug-and-gambling-ring-busted-mount-pleasant-man-caught

Charged with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute in excess of 1,000 kilograms of marijuana are:

Hoa Q. Nguyen, 52, Mount Pleasant, WI
Vu Q. Nguyen, 28, Oak Creek, WI
Tu C. Ly, 25, Oak Creek, WI
Vinh V. Trinh, 44, Los Angeles, CA
An N. Nguyen, 34, Skokie, IL
Huy Han, 33, Skokie, IL
John Nguyen, 26, Chicago, IL
Hoang P. Nguyen, 32, Chicago, IL
Thanh K. Lai, 37, Chicago, IL
Phuc K. Tran, 34, Elk Grove Village, IL
Hien T. Tran, 32, Elk Grove Village, IL
Sam V. Hunyh, 34, Morton Grove, IL
Quan C. Hoac, 35, St. Cloud MN
Michael S. Harmon, 61, Seattle, WA
Sourideth Joe Chansomphou, 38, Milwaukee, WI
Tien D. Nguyen, 36, Milwaukee, WI
Reno A. Nguyen, 36, Franklin, WI

Charged with operating an illegal gambling business are:

Hoa Q. Nguyen, 52, Mount Pleasant, WI
Vu Q. Nguyen, 28, Oak Creek, WI
Tu C. Ly, 25, Oak Creek, WI
An. N Nguyen, 34, Skokie, IL
Huy Han, 33, Skokie, IL
Hoang P. Nguyen, 32, Chicago, IL
Thanh K. Lai, 37, Chicago, IL
Khanh N. Lam, 42, Franklin, WI
Laura T. Phan, 40, Wauwatosa, WI
Hoang Hoang, 49, Milwaukee, WI
Binh J. Nguyen, 38, Oak Creek, WI
Tony V. Tran, 43, Germantown, WI
Kevin S. Ho, 41, Mequon, WI

Charged with interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise are:

Jimmy D. Ho, Niles, IL
Quan C. Hoac, 35, St. Cloud, MN

[NceegVaj]

EVERYONE GO TO THAT DAMN REUTER SITE AND COMMENT TO THE AUTHOR TO CORRECT REPORT ABOUT THIS BEING HMONG.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/us-hmong-ring-wisconsin-idUSTRE7515RR20110602


The rest of the suspects' names:

Hoa Q. Nguyen, 52, Mount Pleasant, WI
Vu Q. Nguyen, 28, Oak Creek, WI
Tu C. Ly, 25, Oak Creek, WI
Vinh V. Trinh, 44, Los Angeles, CA
An N. Nguyen, 34, Skokie, IL
Huy Han, 33, Skokie, IL
John Nguyen, 26, Chicago, IL
Hoang P. Nguyen, 32, Chicago, IL
Thanh K. Lai, 37, Chicago, IL
Phuc K. Tran, 34, Elk Grove Village, IL
Hien T. Tran, 32, Elk Grove Village, IL
Sam V. Hunyh, 34, Morton Grove, IL
Quan C. Hoac, 35, St. Cloud MN
Michael S. Harmon, 61, Seattle, WA
Sourideth Joe Chansomphou, 38, Milwaukee, WI
Tien D. Nguyen, 36, Milwaukee, WI
Reno A. Nguyen, 36, Franklin, WI

-------------------------------
ollowing a year-long investigation, the defendants, all of Hmong descent, were charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, and 13 were accused with operating an

[thePoster]

Wowsers...talk about...losing credibility.

They all sound like Viet names to me.

[kyang81]

EVERYONE GO TO THAT DAMN REUTER SITE AND COMMENT TO THE AUTHOR TO CORRECT REPORT ABOUT THIS BEING HMONG.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/us-hmong-ring-wisconsin-idUSTRE7515RR20110602


The rest of the suspects' names:

Hoa Q. Nguyen, 52, Mount Pleasant, WI
Vu Q. Nguyen, 28, Oak Creek, WI
Tu C. Ly, 25, Oak Creek, WI
Vinh V. Trinh, 44, Los Angeles, CA
An N. Nguyen, 34, Skokie, IL
Huy Han, 33, Skokie, IL
John Nguyen, 26, Chicago, IL
Hoang P. Nguyen, 32, Chicago, IL
Thanh K. Lai, 37, Chicago, IL
Phuc K. Tran, 34, Elk Grove Village, IL
Hien T. Tran, 32, Elk Grove Village, IL
Sam V. Hunyh, 34, Morton Grove, IL
Quan C. Hoac, 35, St. Cloud MN
Michael S. Harmon, 61, Seattle, WA
Sourideth Joe Chansomphou, 38, Milwaukee, WI
Tien D. Nguyen, 36, Milwaukee, WI
Reno A. Nguyen, 36, Franklin, WI

-------------------------------
ollowing a year-long investigation, the defendants, all of Hmong descent, were charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, and 13 were accused with operating an

Better yet just email the editor listed on the aritcle.

Greg McCune
2009 SABEW President

Editor in Charge, Reuters America Service

greg.mccune@thomsonreuters.com

[NceegVaj]

Better yet just email the editor listed on the aritcle.

Greg McCune
2009 SABEW President

Editor in Charge, Reuters America Service

greg.mccune@thomsonreuters.com

Thanks! just did. I was looking for that.

RE:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/us-hmong-ring-wisconsin-idUSTRE7515RR20110602


Everyone need to blast that author. I did my part in a "fast" way.

Mr. McCune,

I was so embarrassed by your report naming all suspects in the drug raid as being “all Hmong descent”.  Upon my further research all names pointed to a Vietnamese origins.

May I ask that your staff/author take the appropriate action to correct this mistaken identity?  May I also suggest that your author spend some time learning about Hmong people here: http://www.hmongnet.org/

Thank you for your attention.

With Utmost Respect,

[/color]

[suabqeej]

the two dozen people arrested are hmong? No hmong named as indicated. somebody need to write to the newspaper writer/editor to correct this. It's giving hmong bad names.

If it involved hmong: Hmong drug dealers and smugglers are little ants. the big time dealers are no where to be found. Only the little ants are caught. I bet these ants don't even know who the true dealer is.

[thehotone]

Nguyen is a hmong last name?? Lol  where did he get hmong? Theres no hmong on that list.

[kyang81]

Nguyen is a hmong last name?? Lol  where did he get hmong? Theres no hmong on that list.

You notice how Harmon is also on the list but yet not one mention of that person, black or white being mentioned as a person who was also arrested 

[thehotone]

Thanks! just did. I was looking for that.

RE:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/us-hmong-ring-wisconsin-idUSTRE7515RR20110602


Everyone need to blast that author. I did my part in a "fast" way.

 

[bioshock]

SOMEONE NEEDS TO FIRE THIS DUMB A$$ REPORTER!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

This is a scandal waiting to happening, I predict a large Hmong protest.   

[NceegVaj]

SOMEONE NEEDS TO FIRE THIS DUMB A$$ REPORTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

This is a scandal waiting to happening, I predict a large Hmong protest.  

Starts with you and me.  Go write him an email.  Protest? no.  I'm sure it was just an ignorant mistaken identity.  Thank you.