9 years in prison for the man who transported a car of fireworks to sell

On the morning of January 16, the People's Court coordinated with the People's Procuracy of Tan Ky district to conduct a mobile trial of the criminal case against Tran Duy Tan, born in 1973, residing in Bac Thap hamlet, Vinh Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, for the crime of "Trading in prohibited goods".

According to the indictment, on September 20, 2019, Tan received a phone call from a man named Trong (Tan did not know his background and specific address) asking to buy 100 fireworks, Tan agreed. Then Tan called Vu Thanh Truc, born in 1986, residing in Block 1, Dien Chau town (Dien Chau) asking to buy 100 fireworks, Truc replied "when I have fireworks, I will let you know".

Nguyen Duy Tan in court. Photo: Phuong Hao

Hearing Truc say that, Tan called a man named Trong. When Trong said, "I have goods that I can hire a car to bring to Tan Ky for you. You will pay me," Tan immediately agreed.

On the evening of September 25, 2019, Tan called Trong to discuss and agree on a price of 450,000 VND/fireworks and told Trong, "If you transport the fireworks, you will pay me 1,500,000 VND for the transportation fee, and as for the fireworks, you will pay them in full after receiving them." Trong agreed.

At around 6:00 p.m. on September 26, 2019, Tan called Truc to meet him at National Highway 7A, Dien Phuc Commune, Dien Chau District. When Tan arrived at the meeting point, he saw Truc and a Toyota Hilux pickup truck with license plate 35C-097.91 parked on the side of the road, then the two got in the car and sat talking. Truc told Tan, "Everything is here, the goods (fireworks) are under the seat, just flip it up and you'll see them, call me when you get there and I'll show you what's there."

Count the amount and take the money back here for me. I will get the money for transporting the fireworks from them, and you will lend me the car and give me the money for fuel." Hearing Truc say that, Tan received the key and drove the car to Nghia Hoan commune, Tan Ky district to sell the fireworks that Trong had asked to buy earlier.

At around 8:00 p.m. the same day, when Tan was driving car with license plate 35C-097.91 on the inter-village road in Tien Thanh hamlet, Nghia Hoan commune, the Tan Ky District Police Working Group signaled him to stop the car for inspection and caught him red-handed with a total weight of 143.77 kg of fireworks in the car that Tan was driving.

At the Investigation Police Agency, Tran Duy Tan confessed to all of his crimes in accordance with the documents and evidence collected in the case file.

Previously, on December 19, 2017, Tan was administratively fined 5,000,000 VND by Yen Thanh District Police for buying and selling fireworks. He completed the fine on June 15, 2018. His criminal record has now been cleared.

At the end of the trial, the panel sentenced Tran Duy Tan to 9 years in prison.