HANOI, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Relevant forces of Vietnam's central Ha Tinh province on Tuesday detained three Lao men when they were transporting 25 kg of crystal methamphetamine and 52 cakes of heroin in a pickup truck.

The trio, aged 25, 35 and 51, reside in Laos' central Khammouane province, the Ha Tinh police said on Wednesday, adding that they wanted to sell the drugs to Vietnamese traffickers in the two central provinces of Ha Tinh and Nghe An.

According to Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty.