Prisoners traffic drugs together, share heavy sentences

On March 13, the Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of Nguyen Van Thinh (born in 1974), residing in Kim Son town, Que Phong district, for the crimes of "Illegal trading of narcotics" and "Illegal possession of narcotics"; Do Dang Bac (born in 1990), residing in My Duc district, Hanoi city, for the crimes of "Illegal trading of narcotics".

In 2011, Thinh was sentenced by the People's Court of Que Phong district to 7 years in prison for "Illegal possession of narcotics". As for Do Dang Bac, in 2012, the People's Court of Hanoi sentenced him to 8 years in prison for "Illegal trading of narcotics" and 1 year in prison for "Resisting a person on official duty".

Do Dang Bac and Nguyen Van Thinh at the trial.Photo: Nhu Binh

During their time serving their sentences at Prison No. 6 of the Ministry of Public Security, Do Dang Bac and Nguyen Van Thinh got to know each other. After their prison terms ended, the two sides kept in touch and visited each other's homes.

In June 2018, Thinh told Bac that if he could get drugs to sell for profit, he would sell them cheaply. On July 27, 2018, Bac called Thinh to order 1 heroin cake and 10 packages of opium. That same afternoon, Bac took a bus to Thinh's house and gave him 165 million VND. That same evening, Thinh drove Bac to get the goods.

After receiving all the goods, Bac took a bus back to Hanoi. When he reached Lac town, Quy Chau district, he was arrested by the police and all the evidence was confiscated. Searching Thinh's house, the police seized 12.94 grams of drugs.

At the trial, while Do Dang Bac admitted all his crimes, Nguyen Van Thinh did not admit to selling 1 heroin cake and 10 packages of pink phien to Bac. Thinh only admitted to possessing 12.94 grams of drugs that the police seized in his house.

However, based on the results of the investigation, questioning, and public debate at the trial, the panel of judges determined that the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province's prosecution of Nguyen Van Thinh for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking" for 1 heroin cake and 10 pink phien packages was the right person, the right crime, and not a wrongful conviction.

Considering the case as a whole, the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the panel sentenced defendant Nguyen Van Thinh to life in prison for “Illegal drug trafficking”, 6 years in prison for “Illegal drug possession”, and the total sentence for Thinh was to serve a life sentence; sentenced Do Dang Bac to 20 years in prison for “Illegal drug trafficking”.