Hiding drugs in a 'dangerous place' still can't escape
(Baonghean.vn) - At the base of a dry tree near the Vietnam - Laos border, Linh took the opium and hid it in some parts of the motorbike, while Mai hid the "goods" in her underwear.
On April 5, Nghe An Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of defendants Phan Ba Linh (born 1995), residing in Duc Son commune, Anh Son district, and Nguyen Van Mai (born 2000), residing in Hoa Son commune, Anh Son district, for the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking".
Previously, in 2018, while working for hire in Laos, Linh met a local man named Loc. On August 20, 2020, Loc contacted Linh and asked if there were any drugs?
Then, Loc sold Linh 30 packs.pink sheetfor 24 million VND. Linh planned to buy drugs for personal use and retail to others for 50 to 90 thousand VND/pill.
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| Defendants Nguyen Van Mai (striped shirt) and Phan Ba Linh in court. Photo: Tran Vu |
On the afternoon of September 3, Linh took Nguyen Van Mai on a motorbike to get drugs. Following Loc's instructions, at the base of a dry tree in the Vietnam - Laos border area (in Phuc Son commune, Anh Son district), the two went to check and discovered many packages of pink pills.
Linh took the "goods" and hid them in the saddle, under the mudguard of the motorbike. Mai hid a package of drugs in his underwear.
At 1:30 p.m. the same day, both were caught red-handed by the working group of Phuc Son Border Guard Station in coordination with Anh Son District Police with many packages of pink pills with a total weight of more than 600 grams.
In court, the two defendants admitted their crimes. Defendant Linh confessed to trafficking drugs for resale. Defendant Mai, although he knew Linh was buying and selling heroin, agreed to participate when invited.
The panel of judges determined that in this case, defendant Phan Ba Linh committed the crime as the mastermind and leader, so he was sentenced to life in prison. Defendant Nguyen Van Mai committed the crime as a secondary role in the case, so he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
As for the man named Loc, because the two defendants did not know his background or address, there was no basis for investigation and prosecution.
