Former police officer pays with his life for trafficking half a kilogram of 'white powder' (heroin).

Getting involved in corruption.

Ha Ba Chu (34 years old), residing in Na Ngoi commune, Ky Son district, is the eldest son in a family where his father is a teacher. His parents provided him with the opportunity to complete high school, something not every poor Hmong family can afford. However, his education didn't go as planned, and Ha Ba Chu decided to stay home and work on the farm.

At the age of 19, Chu got married and had children to settle down early. During his time living in the local area, Chu was trusted to serve as a village police officer for many terms and was honored to be admitted to the Party.

Defendant Ha Ba Chu. Photo: Tran Vu

For seven years, Chù worked as a police officer, directly involved in disseminating information and encouraging people not to violate the law, especially regarding drug-related crimes. Yet, Chù himself could not overcome the temptation of drugs.drugAnd then they fell into their trap.

In April 2021, Ha Ba Chu went to Laos to celebrate Tet (Vietnamese New Year) with relatives who had migrated there, and coincidentally met a man named No Denh. From that meeting, Chu and Denh became close. After returning to Vietnam, Chu and Denh maintained regular contact. At the end of April 2021, Denh called Chu and said that someone in Dien Chau district had ordered 5 kg of methamphetamine for 700 million VND. If Chu could sell it, he only needed to send Denh 600 million VND, and the remaining 100 million VND would be Chu's commission. The amount was so large that Ha Ba Chu lost his composure and accepted the offer.

Having patrolled the area around Phuxailaileng, the highest mountain peak in Nghe An province, many times, Chu decided to choose this location to receive the drugs. After a day of walking and climbing through the forest, Chu arrived at the meeting point and received a sack containing drugs from a contact in Laos.

On April 27, 2021, while Chu was delivering drugs to a customer, he was discovered and apprehended by the anti-drug forces of the Nghe An Provincial Police. Despite Chu's fierce resistance, the police successfully subdued him with gunfire and arrested him.

Late regrets

On trial for the crime of illegal drug trafficking, Chu confessed in court about his journey on foot to the forest to receive the drugs and about purchasing multiple mobile phones to facilitate the drug trade. The defendant also admitted to being knowledgeable about the law, and that his drug dealing was driven by greed and a desire for profit.

Facing the death penalty, Chu presented several mitigating circumstances, such as his father being a teacher in a mountainous district who had received a commemorative medal from the Ministry of Education and Training for his contributions to education. “I deeply regret my actions. It’s too late to say anything now, but I beg the court to consider giving me a chance to live. My two children are still young,” Chu pleaded with the judges.

Not a single family member attended Chu's trial. Therefore, Chu sat silently in the large courtroom. During the recess, when his family was mentioned, Chu lowered his head and said, "My two children are currently in 10th and 8th grade. I feel guilty towards them... I was wrong."

Ha Ba Chu was sentenced to death for the crime of "illegally trafficking narcotics". Photo: Tran Vu

The panel of judges noted that during the investigation and trial, the defendant had honestly confessed and shown remorse; the defendant's father had been awarded a commemorative medal for his educational activities, and the defendant himself had received commendations from relevant authorities for his achievements in crime prevention and control, which were considered mitigating circumstances in the case.

However, given the exceptionally large quantity of drugs the defendant trafficked, the court sentenced Ha Ba Chu to death for the crime of "Illegal trafficking of narcotics."

Although he had somewhat anticipated the sentence he was about to receive, when he heard the death sentence, Ha Ba Chu was stunned, his hands gripping the witness stand tightly. As he was escorted to the vehicle to be taken back to prison, Chu only had time to send his regards to his wife and children. "I must pay for the crime I committed," Chu exclaimed in belated remorse…