Going to see a doctor, taking advantage of the situation to sell 'white goods', man sentenced to death

That was the final plea of ​​Le Van Truong (48 years old) for trafficking 2 cakes of heroin and 1 kg of crystal meth.

Born and raised in Hung Long commune (Hung Nguyen district), which was once considered the "capital" of drug trafficking in Nghe An. Moreover, with a 16-year prison sentence for drug-related crimes in 1999, Truong should have known fear, the terrible harm of drugs and its consequences. However, this man continued to make the same mistake. The reason for Truong's crime was debt and poverty.

According to the defendant's testimony at the trial, around the beginning of August 2019, during a visit to the hospital, Truong met a Laotian man about 27 years old (unknown background and specific address). Through conversation, Truong knew that this man had a source of drugs to sell, so he asked to buy them. About a week later, when a man with a southern accent called to order the "goods", Truong immediately called the Laotian man to ask to buy 2 heroin cakes and 1 kg of crystal meth, for 300 million VND, paying 200 million VND in advance. The Laotian man agreed.

Defendant Le Van Truong. Photo: Tran Vu

On the evening of August 29, 2019, Le Van Truong took his son's motorbike to Thong Thu intersection (Que Phong district) to meet two men to receive drugs. On the way back, when Truong reached Vinh bypass, Nghi Hoa commune (Nghi Loc district), he was discovered by Nghe An police, who seized nearly 1.7 kg of various drugs.

When asked by the court about the reason for committing the crime, the defendant said that due to debt, he decided to "take a big gamble" even though he knew the sentence he would have to face if he was caught. Truong said that in 2011, after completing his prison term, he was determined to work hard and honestly to raise his children. In addition to farming, he also worked as a construction worker with a group of workers in the village. The work was hard, harsh in the sun and rain, but he still did it because he wanted to reform and make up for his past mistakes.

However, recently, because of "overindulgence" which made life difficult, the defendant borrowed a large sum of money from relatives; and realizing the huge profits from "white goods", the defendant reoffended. Truong confessed that if this business had been successful, he would have earned more than 100 million VND. Regarding the man selling drugs, Truong said he did not know his specific background because he had only met him once at the hospital.

During the trial, the defendant and his relatives remained calm until the Procuracy requested the death penalty. Speaking at the court, the representative of the Procuracy said that the defendant was trafficking in large quantities of drugs, so a severe punishment was needed to serve as a deterrent and general prevention. Before the witness stand, the defendant presented the fact that his family was worshipping a martyr relative to ask for a chance to live and rebuild his life.

When her husband was sentenced to death, his wife repeatedly told Truong to file an appeal in hopes of leniency from the law. Photo: Tran Vu

Knowing that her husband was about to face the highest sentence under the law, the wife sat below in tears. During the court's deliberation, she approached her husband and offered words of encouragement. It was unclear what was discussed between the two, but the wife kept wiping away her tears. Seeing his wife and children in such a difficult situation, Truong's eyes were also red. The defendant constantly tried to encourage his family, but behind those eyes were the worries and panic of someone who knew he was close to death.

For the crime of illegal drug trafficking, Le Van Truong was sentenced to death by the court. The severe sentence of the law surprised the defendant. Below, his wife, children, and relatives burst into tears. When her husband was taken away, his wife seemed to have not yet recovered and asked him, "Why the death sentence?". While crying, the defendant's wife repeatedly told Truong to file an appeal to find a chance to live.

If only Truong had not defied the law, if only this man had woken up early to reform and pursue an honest job, then his wife, children and relatives would not have to cry in pain in court. More than anyone else, the two children, when they reached adulthood, would not have to suffer the fate of being fatherless for the rest of their lives.