Going to a death anniversary, drug addicts 'snatch' drugs to use

On the morning of May 24, the Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of defendant Tran Quang Hai (born 1965), residing in Hanh Lam commune, Thanh Chuong district, for the crime of "Illegal possession of narcotics".

Defendant Tran Quang Hai in court. Photo: Tran Vu

Hai is a drug addict and has a previous conviction for "Illegal drug trafficking". On December 1, 2018, Hai took a bus to the Vietnam - Laos border to buy 20 million VND worth of heroin from an unknown man. When he returned home, Hai hid the drugs in his boots and left them in the chicken coop.

On the morning of December 8, a friend called Hai to invite him to a funeral. This person said, “If you have drugs, bring them along to use, tomorrow is the funeral.” At 11:00 a.m. that day, Hai divided the drugs into small pieces to bring to his friend’s house to use. However, when Hai was walking to Da Son commune (Do Luong district), he was arrested by the authorities.

Searching Hai's residence, the investigation agency seized drugs in a black boot in the chicken coop. The investigation agency determined that the total amount of drugs that Tran Quang Hai was storing was 134.676 grams of heroin.

In court, the defendant admitted to the crime as stated in the indictment. Hai said he had been addicted to drugs since 2008, so he often bought them for use. This time, after being asked by a drug addict friend to bring drugs to a funeral to use, Hai did as he was told.

Regarding the 20 million VND the defendant used to buy drugs, Hai stated that "he saved it up and did not steal it from anyone."

The panel of judges determined that the defendant's actions were dangerous to society. The defendant repented, confessed honestly, and his father was awarded the Resistance Medal, which were mitigating circumstances. Considering the case as a whole, the panel sentenced Tran Quang Hai to 13 years in prison for "Illegal possession of narcotics".