Ngo Van Giang, a gang leader in the southern town, was arrested by local police for disrupting public order.

According to a police report, Giang summoned dozens of his gang members Wednesday, to chase down and manace a group of four people in a car, including two serving police officers and one retired colonel.

The officials and a businessman friend were eating at a restaurant in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai Province, when the inebriated friend vomited on the foot of another customer, Nguyen Tan Luong.

The man apologized, but his apology was met with physical assaults by Luong.

Restaurant staff diffused the situation and the officials and their friend were about to leave in a car when Luong called up gangster Giang for help.

The gangster and his minions blocked the car from moving by placing rocks in front of their tires, all the while hurling insults.

The car managed to drive for about 200 meters when some police came to their rescue. But the gang followed the car on 10 bikes and circled the car, demanding that the four get out "to talk."

The group then managed to call a large group of police personnel to the scene, but the gang did not back out. It was only after a top leader of Bien Hoa Police showed up to "negotiate" that the 2-hour hostage situation was resolved.

It is unknown whether the gangsters knew there were policemen in the group of four.

The police is investigating the case further. More information about Nguyen Tan Luong and the gang members was not immediately available.