Brother-in-law and sister-in-law arrested while delivering drugs.
Thanh was hired by someone to transport 60 packages of methamphetamine for a fee of 10 million VND, and he agreed. He then hired his brother-in-law to drive him to pick up the methamphetamine, but they were arrested by the police that night.
On February 18th, the People's Court of Nghe An province held a first-instance trial to hear the case against defendants Nguyen Dinh Thanh (born in 1997) and Pham Xuan Chat (born in 1990), both residing in Tru Son commune, Do Luong district (Nghe An province), for the crime of "illegally transporting narcotics".
According to the indictment, on December 18, 2023, Thanh was hired by a man named Hoang Van Hung (residing in Nghi Kieu commune, Nghi Loc district) to transport 2 sheets (i.e., 60 packages of methamphetamine) to Que Phong district for a fee of 10 million VND.
Hearing this, Nguyen Dinh Thanh agreed. Afterward, Thanh hired his brother-in-law, Pham Xuan Chatt, to drive him to pick up the drugs. They agreed on a fare of 4 million dong.
On December 22, 2023, Hung called Thanh, urging him to pick up the "goods," and also gave him the phone number of the drug seller. Thanh called the seller, arranging a time and place to receive the "goods."
At approximately 7 PM that same day, Chắt drove Thành to pick up the drugs. Upon arriving at the intersection in Tri Lễ commune, Quế Phong district, following the seller's instructions, Thành went to the ditch and found the box containing the drugs, so he took it into the car.
After obtaining the drugs, Thanh told his brother-in-law to drive home. However, when the two were traveling to Chau Kim commune, Que Phong district, they were arrested by a task force from the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department, along with the evidence: over 1.2 kg of drugs.
At the trial, the two defendants admitted to transporting drugs for hire. Defendant Thanh testified that he agreed to transport the drugs for hire because he was greedy for the 10 million dong profit. He then hired his brother-in-law, defendant Chắt, to drive him to Quế Phong to pick up the drugs.
During the trial, the defendant Chắt repeatedly shed tears, showing remorse and regret. The defendant presented his family circumstances, including four young children, to request the court to consider mitigating circumstances and reduce his sentence.
The panel of judges determined that in this case, the defendant Nguyen Dinh Thanh played the main role and therefore sentenced him to life imprisonment.
For his active role in assisting the case, defendant Pham Xuan Chatt was sentenced by the court to 20 years in prison for illegally transporting narcotics.
Regarding the man named Hung, whom the defendant Thanh claimed to have hired to transport drugs, since he is not present in the area, the investigating agency does not yet have grounds to clarify or prosecute him in this case.
