Five people allegedly involved in a high-level Vietnamese drug syndicate have been charged with trafficking offences.

They are accused of distributing a drug concoction that led to deaths in Melbourne and will remain behind bars until their cases are heard later this year.

St. Albans man Nghi Le, has been charged with 29 offences, including three counts of attempted murder, assaulting police and possessing an unregistered firearm.

On Monday, the 33-year-old, who had been on the run, handed himself in to police after sparking a five-hour standoff which saw shots fired in Melbourne’s northwest.

According to The Age, Mr Le and four others – aged between 26 and 55 – were part of a months-long investigation which revealed that the group were part of a syndicate linked to Vietnam and Hong Kong.

They allegedly imported a combined 117kg of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and MDMA.

All five have been remanded to appear before the court on June 20.

– with other agencies