California Man Sentenced In Scheme To Traffic Meth Concealed In Food Shipments To Other Countries

A California man who led an international drug trafficking ring that exported large quantities of methamphetamine to Australia and Papua New Guinea disguised in commercial food products has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison.

Hoang Xuan Le, 43, also known as “Big Bro,” received a 210-month sentence and a $50,000 fine from U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner. Le pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances.

According to federal prosecutors, Le played a leadership role in a sophisticated drug operation that trafficked hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine overseas. From July 2020 to October 2021, Le and co-defendant Tri Buinguyen, 40, of Garden Grove, coordinated shipments using falsified shipping documents and concealed narcotics within commercial products such as instant noodles, metal boxes and food storage buckets.

As part of his plea agreement, Le admitted directing at least two shipments: one containing 66 pounds of meth concealed in metal boxes destined for Australia in August 2020, and more than 330 pounds of meth concealed in food storage buckets destined for Papua New Guinea between April and September 2021. Both shipments were intercepted by law enforcement.

“On top of the sophistication and reach of this drug trafficking organization, [Le] played a critical leadership role in it,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Le] oversaw international drug shipments, asked for updates on the shipments status and location, communicated with co-conspirators abroad, and arranged for drug shipments through air cargo and ocean freight. This was a wide-ranging, lucrative, and sophisticated international narcotics conspiracy, and [Le] was its leader in the United States.”

The defendants used military-grade encryption software and encrypted messaging apps including Signal, as well as false identities and fictitious businesses to coordinate with global partners and disguise the drugs as legitimate cargo.

Co-defendant Tri Buinguyen was sentenced in February to 15 years in prison and fined $50,000 after pleading guilty to the same charge. He admitted to participating in the 2020 and 2021 shipments, as well as additional attempts in 2022 to smuggle 32 kilograms of meth to New Zealand inside ready-to-eat meal packets.

Two other defendants, Trung Buinguyen of Lakewood and Narongsak Champy of Long Beach, remain at large and are charged with conspiracy to export and distribute controlled substances.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, with assistance from numerous federal and international agencies. The case falls under Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative targeting cartels and transnational criminal networks.