Drug trafficker from Laos to Vietnam sentenced

(Baonghean.vn) - On February 9, the Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial to try the case of illegal drug trafficking against Tran Thi Hoai Thanh (born in 1987, residing in Thanh Long commune, Thanh Chuong).

Also prosecuted in court this time are Vu Thanh Trung (born in 1972, from Nam Dinh, residing in Tan Binh district, Ho Chi Minh City), Ngo Thanh Ly (born in 1972, residing in Le Loi ward, Vinh city), Phan Dinh Lap (born in 1975, residing in Vinh city), Hoang Trong Duong (born in 1971, residing in Thanh Chuong), Hoang Van Tien (born in 1979, residing in Thanh Chuong).

The defendants at trial

According to the indictment of the Provincial People's Procuracy, on the afternoon of July 13, 2013, Tran Thi Hoai Thanh was arrested while driving a car carrying a sack containing 10 heroin cakes for sale. Expanding the investigation, the Drug Crime Prevention Police Department of Nghe An Provincial Police completely dismantled the drug trafficking and transportation ring from Laos to Nghe An and then to Ho Chi Minh City for sale, arresting the above 5 subjects.

The method of the subjects was to transfer a large amount of cash via ATM card and then convert it into US dollars. After that, the subjects would transact with a Laotian named Re (specific identity not determined) to buy heroin. Before being caught red-handed, the subjects had successfully carried out 3 illegal drug trafficking cases of 21 heroin cakes.

Authorities determined that Vu Thanh Trung, Ngo Thanh Ly, Phan Dinh Lap, and Tran Thi Hoai Thanh participated in four trips to buy and transport 31 heroin cakes with a total weight of 10,599.21 grams; Hoang Trong Duong and Hoang Van Tien must bear criminal responsibility for three crimes of illegal drug trafficking, with a total of 26 heroin cakes with a total weight of 8,889.66 grams.

The panel of judges determined that the defendants Vu Thanh Trung, Ngo Thanh Ly, and Phan Dinh Lap committed crimes many times and played a leading role, so they needed to be permanently removed from society. The panel sentenced Trung, Ly, and Lap to death. Hoang Trong Duong and Hoang Van Tien committed crimes many times, but played a secondary role and confessed honestly, so the panel sentenced the two defendants to life in prison. Tran Thi Hoai Thanh was an important link, but because she was raising a child under 36 months old, she confessed honestly, so she was given a mitigating circumstance, and the court sentenced her to life in prison.

Khang Hoa