HANOI, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Police in Vietnam's northern Son La province have detained a local man for smuggling heroin and meths.

Song A Thao, aged 49, was caught when transporting 12 cakes of heroin and 36,000 pills of meths in the province, local daily Nhan Dan (People) reported on Friday.

According to the 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.