OVERDOSES BLAMED ON TOP HEROIN

HIGH-QUALITY heroin being distributed by a Vietnamese drug cartel was
believed responsible for an abnormal nmnber of overdoses in the Newcastle
area during the past six months, a court heard yesterday. Newcastle Court
was told yesterday Ding Cong Tran, and his wife Dung Thi Chung, 35, had
distributed more than 4.15kg of heroin valued at more than $5 million
between May 13 and August 17 this year. A group sof people involved with
the cartel appeared at court hearings in Newcastle and Sydney yesterday.

The hearings came after one of the State's largest operations to combat
drug importation.

Twenty-two people were arrested in early morning raids on Monday during the
culmination of strike force Goldbeck, a six-month operation.

Quang Vinh Vo, 38, and his wife, Thi Thu Nguyen, 31, appeared in Fairfield
Court.

They were arrested on Monday at their home in Canley Vale and both face
charges including supplying a commercial quantity of heroin.

They were remanded in custody until August 26.

Newcastle Court was told Tran was the principal conspirator in a syndicate
being supplied with large quantities of heroin by Quang Vo from Cabramatta.

Listening devices installed on May 18 provided substantial evidence of
heroin dealing by Tran on a daily basis.

"He distributed heroin to Asians and Australians to sell on his behalf on a
daily basis," a statement tendered to the court said. "He has continued
using fictitious names and addresses to disguise his real identity and
whereabouts."

Tan and his wife were refused ball and will re-appear on Thursday.

Kim Phuong Le, 35, the mother of two children aged nine and 14, was granted
$5000 conditional bail in Newcastle Court.

Police prosecutor Danny Sullivan said Le had made admissions relating to
three counts of supplying heroin.

Le's de facto husband, Chinh Van Nguyen, 37, was charged with two counts of
supplying heroin and granted $3000 conditional ball.

Both are due to re-appear on Thursday.

A fifth person, Van Dep Nguyen, changed with nine counts of supply, did not
apply for bail because an interpreter was not available.

He was remanded in custody until Thursday.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson