Two friends from the same hometown teamed up to traffic drugs.
(Baonghean.vn) - Despite being 10 years apart in age, these two friends from the same hometown share the same idea of getting rich by selling drugs.
On December 4th, the Nghe An Provincial People's Court held a first-instance criminal trial to hear the case against two defendants, Nguyen Gia Thang (born in 1981) and Hoang Mai Hien (born in 1971), both residing in Dai Dong commune, Thanh Chuong district, for the crime of "Illegal trafficking of narcotics.
According to the indictment, in 2017, Nguyen Gia Thang befriended a fellow inmate named Duong in Que Phong district who was also serving a sentence for drug-related offenses. After being released from prison, in late 2022, Thang went to Kim Son town, Que Phong district to visit, met Duong again, and exchanged phone numbers.
On February 4th, Duong contacted Thang to offer him 4 orders of methamphetamine (each order equivalent to 100g) at a price of 18 million VND per 100g. Because they knew each other, Duong allowed Thang to buy on credit, promising payment after he sold the drugs. Thang agreed to buy them to resell for profit. Later, a stranger called Thang and arranged to meet him on a dike road in Thanh Dong commune, Thanh Chuong district, to show him the location where the drugs were hidden. After receiving the drugs, Thang took them home, put them in a raincoat bag, and hid them in his family's bathroom.
On the afternoon of February 5th, Thang contacted Hoang Mai Hien to find a buyer for drugs at a price of 20 million VND per 100 grams. Hien contacted a man named Tuan "the Fat" (in Vinh City) to discuss finding a buyer for the drugs and agreed on a price of 25 million VND per 100 grams. Tuan told Hien to bring the drugs down to Vinh City to sell to customers and collect the money.
At approximately 1 PM on February 6th, Thang contacted Hien to inquire about a drug buyer. Hien informed Thang that a customer had placed an order for 1 quantity of methamphetamine and arranged to meet at Thanh Chuong District Hospital for the transaction.
Thang weighed the drugs, wrapped them in plastic bags, and hid them in his jacket pocket before heading to the Thanh Chuong District Hospital area. Around 3 PM that same day, Hien hired a taxi to meet Thang at the designated location, and they traveled together to Vinh City for the transaction. However, upon reaching the bypass road in Hung Nguyen District, Tuan "the Fat" got into the car. When the car reached the Hung Chinh gas station, Thang got out and told Hien to go get the money and return to meet him to hand over the drugs. Hien and Tuan "the Fat" continued on, and upon reaching the overpass in Cua Nam Ward, Vinh City, Tuan got out to meet the drug buyer, while Hien waited in the car. At this time, Vinh City Police, divided into two teams, arrested Nguyen Gia Thang, seizing 100.27 grams of drugs, and the second team arrested Hoang Mai Hien. That same day, authorities searched Thang's residence and seized 322 grams of methamphetamine that he was hiding for sale.
Authorities determined that Thang is criminally liable for the trafficking of 422.2 grams of narcotics, and Hoang Mai Hien is criminally liable for the illegal trafficking of 100.2 grams of methamphetamine.
At the trial, both defendants were honest and confessed to their crimes. They admitted to buying drugs to sell for profit. Neither defendant disputed their guilt, but instead asked the court to reduce their sentences so they could return home to care for their elderly mothers.
The panel of judges determined that defendant Nguyen Gia Thang was the instigator and played the main role in the case, while defendant Hoang Mai Hien played a secondary role and possessed a smaller quantity of drugs. Both defendants have bad criminal records but benefited from mitigating circumstances such as honest confession and remorse.
Regarding the man who bought the drugs, named Tuan "the Fat," and the person named Duong who sold them, the defendants did not know their specific identities or addresses, so the investigating agency had no basis to verify their information.
After considering all aspects of the case, the panel of judges sentenced Nguyen Gia Thang to 20 years in prison and Hoang Mai Hien to 18 years in prison, both for the crime of "illegally trading in narcotics".
