A 43-year-old man from Orange County, Hoang Xuan Le, was sentenced to nearly 18 years in federal prison for leading an international drug trafficking ring that smuggled methamphetamine to Australia and Papua New Guinea. Known as “Big Bro,” Le and his co-defendant, Tri Buinguyen, 40, orchestrated the export of large quantities of meth by disguising it within commercial products like instant noodle packs, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The operation ran from July 2020 to October 2021, utilizing air cargo and ocean freight to ship the drugs overseas. The defendants used military-grade encryption software and encrypted messaging apps to coordinate these shipments, communicating with vendors and customs officials under fake names and email accounts to disguise the drugs as legitimate products.
In his plea agreement, Le admitted to overseeing at least two major shipments. In August 2020, he directed a shipment of approximately 66 pounds of meth concealed in metal boxes to Australia. From April to September 2021, he orchestrated a shipment of about 330 pounds of meth hidden in food storage buckets to Papua New Guinea. Both shipments were intercepted by law enforcement.
Buinguyen, known as “Bro,” was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy. He admitted to his involvement in the two intercepted shipments and additional shipments to New Zealand. Two other co-defendants, Trung Buinguyen and Narongsak Champy, are currently sought by authorities.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which aims to dismantle serious drug trafficking organizations. Federal prosecutors highlighted the sophistication and reach of the drug trafficking operation, emphasizing Le’s critical leadership role.
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