The construction worker trafficked drugs across borders.
(Baonghean.vn) - While working on a construction project in Laos, Hoa also trafficked drugs to bring back to Vietnam for sale. Facing legal consequences, the father of three children broke down in tears many times.
On September 14th, the People's Court of Nghe An province opened a trial to hear the case against defendant Tran Van Hoa (born in 1982), residing in Anh Son town, Anh Son district, for the crime of "Illegal trafficking of narcotics.
In early 2023, Hoa was working on a construction project in Laos when he met Vu. Vu suggested he had drugs for sale, so Hoa contacted Son and Hoc (whom he knew through social connections) to discuss selling methamphetamine to them.
On the morning of February 9, 2023, Son called Hoa to order 10 packages of methamphetamine (worth 70 million VND), and Hoc ordered 5 packages of methamphetamine (worth 15 million VND).
To get money to buy drugs, on February 12th, Hoa returned to Vietnam and asked the two customers to transfer the money in advance. As a result, the two drug buyers transferred 25 million VND to Hoa.
The next day, Hoa took the money back to Laos to buy 15 packets of drugs (worth 25 million VND). To avoid detection by the police, Hoa did not receive the drugs immediately but asked the seller to deliver them to a gas station in Huong Son district (Ha Tinh province).
Later that afternoon, following the Laotian man's instructions, Hoa went to a location near the gas station where he found 15 packets of methamphetamine in a plastic bag. Hoa quickly hid them and called the customer to come and pick up the "goods."
On the evening of February 14th, Hoa delivered drugs to two customers in succession. After successfully completing a transaction involving 10 packets of methamphetamine in Cau Ro (Thanh Chuong district), Hoa went to a cornfield in Da Son commune, Do Luong district, to deliver the "goods" to the remaining customer.
However, Tran Van Hoa was caught red-handed by the police while conducting the transaction. Taking advantage of the darkness, the drug buyer quickly escaped. The investigating agency determined that Hoa is criminally liable for over 212 grams of drugs.
At the trial, the defendant admitted to the crime. Hoa stated that due to debt pressure, she committed the crime without thinking. The defendant expressed remorse and repeatedly broke down in tears in court.
The panel of judges noted that in this case, the defendant had many mitigating circumstances such as honest confession, remorse, his father having served on the front lines as a civilian worker, his grandmother being a Vietnamese Heroic Mother, and the defendant himself actively contributing to the Covid-19 prevention and control movement. Therefore, the court sentenced Tran Van Hoa to 20 years in prison.
