5 death sentences for cross-Vietnam drug ring led by Tuan Lay

(Baonghean.vn) -On May 30, Nghe An Provincial People's Court brought Phan Dinh Tuan (born in 1971), residing in Vinh City, to public trial for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking".

Also prosecuted for this crime are Ho Su Co (born in 1983), residing in Vinh City, Phan Thanh Ton (born in 1989), residing in Huong Son District, Ha Tinh, Vu Thanh Trung (born in 1964), residing in Yen Thanh District, Nguyen Quoc Thang (born in 1977), residing in Vinh City. Related to this case, Nguyen Thi Huong (born in 1968), residing in Vinh City, the lover of boss Tuan Lay, was prosecuted for the crime of "Failure to report a crime".

The indictment of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province prosecuted Tuan and his accomplices for participating in the purchase and sale of a total of 294 heroin cakes from Laos to Nghe An and then bringing them to the southern provinces for consumption. In particular, Ho Su Co, Nguyen Quoc Thang and Phan Thanh Ton acted as hired transporters, and Tuan was paid 100 million VND for each successful transport.

Defendants at trial. Photo: Nhu Binh

The drugs were purchased from Laos and transported to the southern provinces for Vu Thanh Trung to sell. The entire amount of illegal profits from drug trafficking was given to Nguyen Thi Huong for safekeeping.

Authorities determined that in this case, Phan Dinh Tuan must bear criminal responsibility for illegally buying and selling 294 heroin cakes (equivalent to more than 100 kg); Vu Thanh Trung must bear criminal responsibility for illegally buying and selling 162 heroin cakes (more than 81.5 kg); Ho Su Co must bear criminal responsibility for illegally buying and selling 162 heroin cakes (nearly 56.5 kg); Nguyen Quoc Thang must bear criminal responsibility for illegally buying and selling 60 heroin cakes (nearly 46 kg); Phan Thanh Ton must bear criminal responsibility for illegally transporting 60 heroin cakes (nearly 21 kg).

At the trial, defendant Tuan and defendant Co said that the head of this drug ring was Nguyen Thi Huong. In this case, Tuan only played the role of introducing the goods and places of consumption for Huong. The money earned from the huge drug deals flowed into Huong's pocket, Tuan did not collect a single penny. Phan Dinh Tuan said that the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province prosecuted Nguyen Thi Huong for "Failure to report a crime" which was not consistent with the crime that Huong had committed.

Defendant Phan Dinh Tuan. Photo: Nhu Binh

Defense lawyers for Phan Dinh Tuan, Ho Su Co, Phan Thanh Ton, Vu Thanh Trung and Nguyen Quoc Thang also requested the panel of judges to consider the role and criminal behavior of Nguyen Thi Huong in this case to avoid missing people or letting crimes go unpunished.

The panel of judges determined that there was not enough evidence to consider Nguyen Thi Huong’s criminal behavior as stated by Tuan and Co. Although the defendants had many mitigating circumstances, the amount of drugs that the defendants were involved in was extremely large, and the crime was committed in a particularly serious case and needed to be eliminated from society.

The panel sentenced Phan Dinh Tuan, Ho Su Co, Phan Thanh Ton, Vu Thanh Trung and Nguyen Quoc Thang to death. For the crime of “failure to report a crime”, Nguyen Thi Huong was sentenced to 12 months in prison./.

Nhu Binh