The burden on the shoulders of a wife whose husband is an addict and serving a life sentence for drug trafficking

Kha Thi Th. (born in 1974), residing in Ngoc Lam commune, Thanh Chuong district, and Pham Van Hung (born in 1970) used to live in Tuong Duong district. After the Ban Ve Hydropower project was constructed, they were relocated to Ta Xieng village, Ngoc Lam commune as resettlement residents.

Having no stable job and her husband being a drug addict, Ms. Th. had to shoulder all the big and small tasks in the family. It was hard, but she never complained, just hoping that her husband would quit his addiction and work hard. But then, this woman received another bad news when her husband was arrested for drug-related crimes.

According to the records, on the afternoon of December 1, 2018, Hung called a Laotian named Tong to buy 2 kg of crystal meth and 2 heroin bars for 350 million VND. After that, Hung brought 200 million VND to the Vietnam - Laos border in Ngoc Lam commune to meet Tong. At around 9:00 p.m. the same day, the two met and made the purchase. After receiving the drugs from Tong, Hung took the drugs back to hide behind his house.

For the crime of illegal drug trafficking, Pham Van Hung received a life sentence.

On December 6, when the two parties were conducting a transaction at Song Trai bridge in Thanh Huong commune, they were discovered by the authorities. The drug buyer escaped while Hung was arrested with evidence of 703.18 grams of heroin and 1,765.77 grams of methamphetamine.

In court, Hung admitted to all his crimes. Regarding the money he used to buy drugs, Hung said he borrowed it. Listening to her husband's testimony, his wife's dark face became even sadder: "I didn't expect my husband to be a drug dealer. When relatives called to tell me the news, I was shocked and angry. I advised my husband many times to quit his addiction and not set a bad example for his children and grandchildren, but he ignored me. I was helpless, but I didn't expect my husband to be a drug dealer."

At the time Pham Van Hung was arrested, his mother was being treated for cancer. The bad news caused the old, sick mother to have a mental breakdown. Her health was already weak, and now her son's sad news made her depressed and upset. Ms. Th. had to keep it a secret and not let her mother know about it. "Her condition was not improving yet, so we agreed to keep the matter a secret. Because if she attended her son's trial, she would be even more heartbroken," Ms. Th. said.

Her dark hands clasped tightly together, Ms. Th. said that her mother-in-law had cancer for 3 years now. During the 3 years my mother-in-law had been fighting this deadly disease, I had followed her to the hospital. After one round of chemotherapy, another round of radiation therapy followed, making me sick too. It was hard, I accepted it, just hoping that my husband would quit his addiction and work hard, but he continued to relapse.

Previously, Pham Van Hung was sentenced to 24 months in prison by Thanh Chuong District People's Court for illegal possession of drugs.

Ms. Th. watched her husband being led to the truck. Photo: Tran Vu

Hearing the group of children babbling “Grandpa”, Hung sadly bowed his head. Just because of greed, falling into the path of drug addiction, Pham Van Hung became a drug dealer when he became a grandfather, and now the grandfather and grandson met in a difficult situation in the middle of the court.

The panel of judges determined that the defendant’s actions were dangerous to society. Because of his greed, the defendant recklessly traded drugs, which brought death to many families and were a danger to the whole society. However, the defendant’s repentance, his mother’s contribution to the revolution, her award of medals, and his own action in saving four people from drowning in a boat capsize were mitigating circumstances. Considering the case as a whole, the panel sentenced Pham Van Hung to life in prison.

Seeing her husband being escorted away, the miserable wife could only stand and watch, still holding the gift bag from home that she had not yet sent. When the car carrying the prisoner left the court yard, the woman quietly led the group of grandchildren home to catch the late bus. Moreover, in her hometown, there was a woman who, if she heard the news that her son was in prison for life, would be even more miserable and depressed than she was, and needed to be taken care of...